tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12483065817685868082024-03-05T22:27:35.508-04:00Vic on the Run....Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11031469128704274296noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-66050762379403653862017-06-08T14:45:00.000-04:002017-06-08T14:45:49.256-04:00Here I go again<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
It’s been <strong><span style="background: white; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;">3
years, 3 months, and 5 days</span></strong><span style="background: white; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span>since I last updated this blog. In that time, I lived in New
York City for two months, worked on a Netflix movie (True Memoirs of an
International Assassin), lost my mother to cancer, learned how to knit, took an
intensive Professional Make Up class and visited 6 different countries. Even
though my summary is only a couple lines long, I don’t know if you can tell it’s
been an intense ride. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Right now, I have a steady job
which helps me pay for therapy twice a month, a yarn addiction that has me knitting
my first sweater and for all the scrapbooking supplies I’m obsessing about
while taking an online class.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
This new attempt to keep up a
blog comes with no other strings than the need to write. I’ve always wanted to
be a writer, when I was in elementary and high school I used to write emotional
poems about all the intense emotions I felt. When I moved to college I even
took an online screenplay class at the Gotham’s Writer institute. I even had
one of those timelines that had me becoming the first Dominican to win an Oscar
for an original screenplay. At some point, I literally lost all my writing. I’m
not saying I lost my inspiration but my actual writing. I had transcribed all
the stuff I had written in school then thrown away all the different notebooks
I had them in only to later have that one notebook stolen from my place of
work. Later when I had a computer and was taking those online classes I never
did any backups and when that laptop got friend on a power surge I lost all
that too. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
At the time, I took all the disappearing
writings as sign that my choice of career was the wrong one. I stopped writing all together and only picked
back up when the blogging boom started but I’ve never could keep it up. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Yesterday in therapy, I had a
breakthrough. My biggest obstacle when writing is my fear of making mistakes, it’s
my fear of showing the world something I created and have the world tell me is
lacking, it’s my fear that if start ill end up coloring outside the lines. I
never thought lack of commitment was due to fear, but now I know better so instead
of hoping to start a blog so I can make a business out of it, or to follow a
themed trend, or even to have an audience……<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Today I start a blog just because
I want to write.<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11031469128704274296noreply@blogger.com0Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic18.4860575 -69.931211718.3655785 -70.0925732 18.6065365 -69.769850200000008tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-50189171099091753812014-03-03T13:17:00.002-04:002014-03-03T14:37:43.475-04:00The year of Happy<div dir="ltr">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>I've always disliked the word "depression", it brings
to mind paralyzing fear and no showers and never getting out of bed and people
that are always alone. I'm a well-read person so I know this isn't always true
but the word always makes me feel clammy and anxious and well, depressed. I
like to pretend that what happens to me isn't depression, is just that I don't
check where I'm going and suddenly I fall into a black hole that's hard
to get out of.</i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The first time I fell into a hole I was 14, between the hormones, the
change of school and pretending to be someone I wasn't, the hole was a nice
warm place where I didn't have to feel anything. The second time, I was in my
sophomore year in college where I spent my time constantly dueling with extreme
desires. The third time, I was 31 and my dreams had collapsed around me and my
heart was broken in so many pieces I didn't think I'd ever climb out. This three
big holes (more like craters actually) don't negate the existence of the
smaller ones I've constantly tripped into throughout my life.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"></i></div>
<a name='more'></a><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-align: justify;">But I did climb out every time. Sometimes with the smaller holes
it took days or weeks but with the bigger ones it took months and even years.
Days, weeks, months, years of burst of anger, isolation, constant dissatisfaction, bouts
of excessive drinking, excessive eating, excessive feelings of not being
enough. Yet every time, I've climbed out. It’s always been easy for me to make
connections, I have a great family and a solid circle of friends, yet the idea
that despite this I could still fall into a black hole has always been a little
shameful. </i><br />
<i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></i>
<i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-align: justify;">Last year was hard for me, I can't remember one specific thing that
made it hard, but it was an
emotionally draining year and with so
much work I never had a chance to dig myself out of the hole I'd been in. </i><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-align: justify;">When I found myself getting ready to make yet another lifestyle
change I vowed to do things differently. 2014 is going to be the year of
happy. I don't mean happy in that I-love-everyone kind of way because in all
honesty my feelings are so intense I can't really find ways to like what I
simply don't like. But 2014 is going to be the year of happy because I've
finally accepted that the dark holes are also a part of me.</i><br />
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>On January 1<sup>st</sup>, as I left one life and started
another, I vowed to only read and watch happy things. In the first few weeks of
the year everything worked out perfectly. I was actively avoiding reading the
news, stopped watching or reading any murder/detectives show or books and was
actively pursuing activities that brought me joy. Fast forward to the middle of
February and once again I felt myself slipping back into this hole that keeps
calling me. Stopped walking around just for fun, made excuses to skip dance
class and even spent one whole weekend watching TV. Then I picked up a book
called <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6326488-a-spring-affair?ac=1">“<span style="color: blue;">A
Spring Affair” by Milly Johnson</span></a><span style="color: blue;">,</span>
when I was done I felt so light that I could look at myself with a
self-compassion I’d never felt before. I could see myself, in that moment, sitting
on the edge of yet another hole and pondering both the darkness and the light
in a new way. <o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Noticing this slow slip gave me the chance to step back and find
comfort in all the happy things available around me. Today I celebrate this
small victory that lets me sit on the edge and make a conscious effort to step
away from the hole before falling in completely. I’m not saying this next few
weeks will be easy but instead of wallowing I chose to recharge with old
friends, good food, funny conversations and dancing.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 10pt;">This experiment doesn't mean I'll never give myself permission
to ugly-cry over a book or movie or that I'll give up on Criminal Minds
forever, it only means that for this
year I’m taking a break. I want to see what my life would be like when you only
access all the good that is out there.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Giving Happy a chance is not turning out to be pot of gold at
the end of the rainbow I thought it would be but it’s already taught me to
accept that you can always find a silver lining, even on the cloudiest of days.</span></i></span></div>
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>This are some of the books, songs, videos and movies I've enjoyed
so far on this Happy quest. Experiencing them sometimes made me cry but when
they were over I carried with me their hopefulness and joy:</i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Book</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">s </span></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6326488-a-spring-affair?ac=1"><span style="color: blue;">A
Spring Affair by Milly Johnson</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b> </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7960890-the-love-goddess-cooking-school"><span style="color: blue;">The
Love Goddess' Cooking School by Melissa Senate</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b> </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><b>A Summer
Fling By Milly Johnson</b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The
School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister</span></b></span><br />
<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Garden Spells
by Sarah Addison Allen</span></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Songs<o:p></o:p></span></b>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><a href="http://grooveshark.com/#!/search?q=kacey+musgraves"><span style="color: blue;">Silver Lining by
Kacey Musgraves</span></a><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><a href="http://grooveshark.com/#!/profile/Pharrel+Williams/22818645"><span style="color: blue;">Happy by
Pharrell Williams</span></a><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: blue;"><b><a href="http://grooveshark.com/#!/s/Safe+And+Sound/6BFyL8?src=5"><span style="color: blue;">Safe & Sound
by Capital Cities</span></a></b> </span>I know it came out last year but I heard it for the
first time two weeks ago<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><a href="http://grooveshark.com/#!/s/Details+In+The+Fabric+feat+James+Morrison/2Jo9iu?src=5"><span style="color: blue;">Details
in the Fabric by Jason Mraz</span></a></b> This song I heard for the first time in
2009 but whenever I feel down, I like to play it really loud and sing along. It
always makes feel better<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Videos<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5-EwrhsMzY"><span style="color: blue;">Kid President's Letter To A
Person On Their First Day Here</span></a> </b>Anything Kid President says is worth
listening too but I found this one particularly touching<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Rak%20Nominations&sm=3"><span style="color: blue;">RAK
Nominations</span></a> </b>People doing Random Acts of Kindness, then nominating an
specific friend to do the same<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS9H3vc49kY"><span style="color: blue;">We told Dads they're going
to be Grandpas</span></a> </b>Is old but every time I see it, it makes me smile<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>Please feel free to drop any recommendations in the comments section, I’d
really appreciate it<span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11031469128704274296noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-52345276149904740322014-02-07T10:27:00.001-04:002014-02-07T10:27:33.012-04:00Everyday you learn something new<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
On December 31, 2013 I decided to spend New Year’s Eve by
myself. Most of my friends were at work,
my roommate had just left for New York and even though I had invites to parties
I decided to stay in. I chose that night to truly think about what I wanted for
myself in all aspects of my life. I’d never sat down to think about this. For
years my goals were always: more money, a great title at work, become a size 6,
meet a guy who was hot and rich, maybe travel the world and then I’d be happy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
When I thought about my past desires I realized why I was
never satisfied so I cleaned out my list and kept the one thing I truly wanted:
Be happy! But how was I going to accomplish this? The only way was by choosing
to always be honest with myself. When I choose this, my entire list changed: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> I </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">don’t want to</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">“maybe” travel the world, I want to visit every single country out there
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(</span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Geek alert: I have an excel file with tabs
divided into continents, that are divided into areas, then countries with their
capitals so I can keep track of where I’ve been</i><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">).</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">I love food more than I love clothes that only
look good on people size 6 or smaller</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">I don’t care about the work as long as I get
paid enough so I can travel. Don’t get me wrong I am a hard worker and will
always give 100% to any task but my main goal is not to become Vice
President/Owner of anything I just want to travel more. (</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Looking for some part time/temporary/translation work right now if
anyone knows anything</i><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">)</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">I want to live life</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">I want to share my life with someone who loves
food and wants to travel the world (hot & rich are optional)</span></li>
</ul>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
When I figured out that this 5 things were what I truly
wanted, I decided that things had to be different for me when I moved back to
Santo Domingo. I had to detach myself from the internet and the comfortable
sofa and the smartphone and do more. It’s been hard to do this, since I do
enjoy losing myself in the web and sharing my life with everyone (hence the
blog!!)And taking pictures of everything, and watching documentaries and
planning future trips, etc. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Trying to make lifestyle changes is hard. In the month since
moving back I’m trying to walk places more often, I’m taking Salsa lessons ( Coro
en el Jet esta noche!! ) to limiting my computer use to regular work hours,
volunteering at an Organic food market and trying to say yes to every
invitation I get. Thanks to this new
approach I’m noticing things about my city I took for granted before and I’m
learning what things take away or add to my joy. This past weekend, for
example, was action packed and it helped me learn some new things: I love
taking pictures! I will always remember to take a picture with a friend or of
something that moves me and that I only take pictures of food if I’m alone or
bored while eating said food and lastly that not paying attention to my smartphone
when my friends are over makes for a better night.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
A couple of friends have mentioned that I should blog about
the food I make (with recipes) or the food I eat since I spend so much time
doing one or the other. Last week a high school friend who lives in Tampa said
he would be in town so I decided to plan a get together. After all plans were
set I decided to follow my friends’ advice and blog about the planning process
and the menu. Before the actual event I already had about five hundred words
written which I would complete with the pictures I was supposed to take of
everything I made.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Fast forward to Friday afternoon, and I totally forgot to
take pictures of all the preparation process. Then people started arriving and
eating and drinking and talking over each other and again I forgot to take
pictures of the food table I set up. So I have no proof that I made anything at
all!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I decided to try again the next day when we went out for
lunch to a restaurant called Sheng Yuan in Chinatown. Through the meal I took
notes about the service, the ambiance and the food but again I forgot to take pictures. I was disappointed, the idea to write recipes
and restaurant reviews to help monetize my blog seems great in theory. I have a culinary background + I love to eat
+ I enjoy writing + I need money to travel the world, so why not combine all
this to make some money?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Maybe I just need more discipline, or I’m just not focused
but this weekend helped me realize that if I’m really busy in the kitchen or if
I’m enjoying the company I’m keeping at lunch I will forget to take pictures. I
don’t seem to forget critiquing the food, just taking pictures of them. This became an “aha’ moment: I don’t want to take any pictures of food, or
at least not commit myself to taking them all the time. I could write
restaurant reviews and party planning posts but in this day and age would
anyone be interested in the old school style of just reading about it? I don’t
think so. Maybe I’m wrong and if so please tell me about it so I can tell why
you shouldn’t visit Sheng Yuan in Chinatown but try Delicias Campestres instead.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11031469128704274296noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-32580119912398662152014-01-26T18:35:00.001-04:002014-01-26T21:52:41.657-04:002014 Food Plans<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I love food. I enjoy cooking but
most of all I love to eat. For the past 10 years I’ve battled constantly with
my weight. For about 2 years I did the Atkins diet and lost 90 pounds. I kept
the weight off for two years then after some hard times I ended up gaining
about 40 of those lost pounds back. Since 2011 I’ve tried just about every fad
diet and every “lifestyle” change out there and I’m over it. This year I’m
taking a different approach. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I just finished a five day detox,
this one wasn’t my favorite ( I’ve done
5 in the past 3 years) but it did remind
me how much I love fruit and that Juicing is really great. In all my diet
testing, I learned that bread and sugar
make me feel good when I eat them but afterwards my body feels like crap for a
couple of days and I don’t have much energy.
I also discovered that I can give up milk but not cheese so I want to
incorporate all this factors into what I eat. My approach will be hard to
label, its a little bit paleo, a little bit Atkins and a little bit vegan.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br>
<a name="more"></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Vegan?!! I know it’s random and
weird especially since I’m embracing my love for cheese and all things pork! I can’t
explain it. But I am intrigued by all the things people can make without our
basic baking items, like egg (LOVE THEM TOO!!!) and really putting aside the
tofu and the seitan, Vegan food is really pretty.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The other day this lady I follow
on Instagram @<a href="http://instagram.com/veganista_q8">veganista_q8</a><span style="color: #111111; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> posted a picture of a No Bake
Triple Berry Cheesecake and it was so beautiful I really want to try it.
Accounts like hers and many others on Pinterest and Instagram just have me
excited about all the stuff you can do in a non-conventional way. The plus side
to this is that most of this recipes are also gluten free which means they use
ingredients like Almond or coconut flour and chia seeds!! All stuff that’s
really healthy and low carb. I am obviously going to make changes to this
recipes to make it more appealing or even easier for me but I really want to
try a lot of the Vegan recipes I’ve seen on the web. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #111111; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
2014 is the year of embrace. I
embrace, my size 10, my love of butter & cheese, my need for a burger with
a bun (every once in a while), my love of pork, my love of happy hour and last
but not least my recent obsession with all things Vegan. So this year I’ll try
to keep my<span style="color: #111111; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> love of
fruits and vegetables alive while I try to bake some low carb bread, try to
perfect my pulled pork recipe and make a BBQ sauce that’s awesome but sugar
free! My sister wants to start using a sugar alcohol called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylitol">Xylitol</a> but I want to make a good recipe without it! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #111111; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">All I want is to try and find a healthy balance between
the good for you and the just plain good while trying not to gain any weight
before my trip to San Francisco where I’ll eat and drink whatever I want!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11031469128704274296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-48330465206591147492014-01-22T14:32:00.000-04:002014-01-26T18:36:21.822-04:00Another Year, Another try at this....I first started this Journal in January 2010. I wanted this to be an outlet for my creativity and an exercise on discipline. Its January 2014, and in the past four years I've only written a blog post in January!<br />
Its a tradition now, didn't want this month to end without giving this whole blogging thing a try, again. Thanks to <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/116227122183591010747" target="_blank">+Adrielle Perdomo</a> for reminding me I even have this thing up!!<br />
<br />
2014 started with a lot of changes. On January 1st I moved back home, to once again live with my parents. This time around by choice, so I think it feels a little different. I'm entering the last leg of my 35th year and Ive finally accepted that my purpose in life is searching for a purpose in life.<br />
<br />
WHAT?!! Yes. You read correctly, my purpose is to search. Search what? I don't know. Hopefully whatever i find during my search inspires me to blog about it.<br />
<div>
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /></div>
<div>
This year, more than any other time in my life, I am happy with everything around me, including my small bank account and the extra 20 pounds I cant seem to loose. I'm happy because I've discovered that despite what the rest of the world might think there is nothing wrong with having a varied job listing. Im happy, with the fact that I've worked in many industries in the last 10 - 15 years and with the fact that I haven't done the exact same thing for more than 3 years at a time and with the fact that every couple of years I change my mind about what I want to do and try to master a new skill. All this change has made a well rounded person with a lot of friends (spread around the world!!) a lot of stories and most of all a lot of memories. My ecletic work history doesn't negate the fact that I'm a hard worker who has given 100% to every tasked I've ever been assigned.</div>
<div>
<br />
This year I've decided that I want to write more, take more pictures, travel more like a local than tourist (the best way to travel!!), be more active on <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/102186173500819286170" target="_blank">+Couchsurfing</a> , Incorporate Juicing and smoothies into my life and make really good food that's sugarless and low carb (without feeling guilty if I eat a pizza).</div>
<div>
I want to accomplish all this without becoming preachy, pretentious or obnoxious (Counting on family and friends to make sure this doesn't happen. I'm sure my sister <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/115087534748371952115" target="_blank">+Syra Taveras</a> will be very helpful here)<br />
<br />
I hope to use this blog to document all the new things I may try this year. Instagram has been very helpful in getting me to document by comings and goings so I'll post a lot of pictures here and hopefully that will inspire me to write more and share my findings in all the searches I decide to embark on<br />
<br />
Currently on Day 3 of a 5 Day Detox so that is probably why I was inspired to write this post. Lets see if I post again before January 2015<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11031469128704274296noreply@blogger.com1Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic18.5 -69.98333330000002718.379521 -70.144694800000025 18.620479 -69.821971800000028tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-49387271739874600882013-01-09T12:22:00.001-04:002014-01-26T18:36:38.901-04:00Planning makes it easier <br />
Last time I did the Atkins diet, I worked in the Restaurant industry so every meal I had was prepared for me.<br />
This time around I spent a week planning a Menu for one month. After my menu was ready I went food shopping prepped most of the meals I would use, then froze them.<br />
<br />
I am on Day 3. So far I've followed the menu but not as strict as I thought because the portions Ive used are bigger than I needed. Left overs work really well so I haven't cooked as much as I thought.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
The best thing so far has been having plenty of snacks on hand. Anytime I get a little hungry and start craving some carbs I take something from my stash in the office and all is well again. I think having a lot of snack options on hand is making this process so much easier.<br />
<br />
My goal is 40 pounds and as much as would like to lose them quickly and easy but reality is not always like that.While on Atkins sometimes you loos inches first before you lose weight and because of that I wont weight myself until January 24 so that if I haven't lost much I wont get so discouraged.<br />
<br />
Lets hope the rest of the week goes as great as this first few days<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11031469128704274296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-75456490277732802042013-01-07T10:18:00.002-04:002014-01-26T18:37:52.836-04:00Before, After and Now<div style="text-align: center;">
Today I start Atkins again</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Hopefully I can go back to my 2008 weight</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I will try to take a New Picture every 2 weeks<br />
To keep track of the changes<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyt8wqPiBXtQvzOn1oK_goKeD8MLTpuvFw29G4WejYN9I436OiTHJ4dHvbdATxa95WnvSZkgUrNhP_wuzbgpc4QKRe8118a7YMV0XquzHpN6MkMvEuUWT3AVpVtKp0GRz42_b0A35Ew/s1600/Collage+weight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWyt8wqPiBXtQvzOn1oK_goKeD8MLTpuvFw29G4WejYN9I436OiTHJ4dHvbdATxa95WnvSZkgUrNhP_wuzbgpc4QKRe8118a7YMV0XquzHpN6MkMvEuUWT3AVpVtKp0GRz42_b0A35Ew/s640/Collage+weight.jpg" height="347" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11031469128704274296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-35258306283397808862013-01-06T01:02:00.000-04:002014-01-26T18:36:55.298-04:00Every year I try again, lets see what happens now<div style="text-align: justify;">
I really do want to be a committed writer. I try every year. I even signed up for this great site called <a href="http://750words.com/">750 words</a> that i wrote on everyday for over 20 days straight!!! but I couldn't even last a full month. I am a procrastinator and a lazy writer so I will give myself no time frame, no deadline and no minimum lines to write. I will just post whenever the mood strikes and hopefully this year I'll write more than once.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This new inspiration to blog has been sparked by my return to the Atkins diet. On January 1st, 2006 my cousin sent a picture from the New Year's Eve party we had attended the night before and I almost died when I saw myself. I had always been chubby, but up until that point and that picture i hadn't truly accepted that I was overweight but from that moment on I quit sugar and carbs for 2 years, just like that,cold turkey. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
At my highest in those first days of 2006 I weighed 230 pounds, at my lowest in March 2008 I weighed 147 pounds. I kept the weight off for two years but starting January 2010 after falling into a small depression I steadily started to gain the weight back. Last month I decided to try Atkins again. This past few weeks Ive been food shopping and recipe browsing and I am officially ready to start the diet Monday January 7th.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Two days ago I got on scale and it read 190 pounds so Ive gained half of the weight I lost five years ago. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ive created a full month menu for myself and after two full weeks of Induction hopefully the pounds will start dropping. I will try to post my favorite recipes and keep track of my progress.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm going to search my pictures and try to post a couple of may old ones and a new one so that I can keep track of the change that will be happening now.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If anyone wants a more detailed help with the diet and how to prepare for it. Send me your questions and I'll try to answer them as quickly as possible.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
'Till next time</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11031469128704274296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-3994099647678076772012-03-19T16:08:00.000-04:002012-03-19T16:10:13.569-04:0021 Days and Counting!!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It’s been 2 months and 5
days since my last update and I have almost everything set for my trip:</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">-All rooming in Italy is
booked<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">- Ticket from Venice to
Budapest purchased<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">- Ticket to the Opera (The
Barber of Seville) bought<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">- Ticket from Prague to
Barcelona purchased<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Still missing some other
details but at least the bulk of the trip is ready!!! I really can’t wait to
go. I’m so excited and so worried, the closer the date, the more scared I feel
about this journey. I don’t know why I’m so anxious but hopefully now that I
have some more free time to plan routes and look up more info about the places
im going I’ll be able to calm down<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I really cant wait to
leave, visiting Italy has been a life long dream!</span>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-37205222001095121722012-01-14T22:55:00.000-04:002012-01-14T23:22:03.978-04:00Maybe this time I'll keep it up<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">I never finish any writing I start. I've had notebooks and notebooks half filled with first sentences and first paragraphs of all the
stories I would one day write. I never have . I started this blog and never
continued it but I want to chronicle my next adventure, its titled: <i><b>An European Leap
of Faith</b></i>. I won’t be taking my computer with me, so I’ll be doing it “old
school” style which means I’ll probably never type it up and update this blog. But
I’m going to start now and maybe someday I’ll finish it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>So far I have:</b><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">a) A
Time Frame<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">I leave Santo
Domingo April 10 return May 12<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">b) A
Route<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span lang="ES">Santo Domingo – Rome –</span> Naples <span lang="ES">– Rome – Florence – Venice- Budapest – Vienna – Prague – Barcelona –
Santo Domingo<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><span lang="ES">c)
</span><span lang="ES">A
Budget<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">I need US$5000
if I want to sleep in a room by myself and about US$3500 if I want to sleep in
a room at all<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">d) Plane
tickets:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">Santo Domingo –
Rome<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">Venice –
Budapest<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">Barcelona – Santo Domingo<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">I’m still missing a couple of
things. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">The next step is to buy the ticket Prague – Barcelona and to try to secure free housing in as many places as I can by March 10. I’m giving myself a month before the trip to have my free lodgings settle before I start making reservations and/or paying in advance. Then, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">I will need to decide where I will be sleeping at each stop and I making all the
bookings in advance so that I don’t have to carry much money.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">At this point people keep asking
me if I’m really going to this month long trip alone. I am and I’m afraid, I won’t lie, but
I’m more afraid of not doing it, than of what might happen if I do it alone.</span><o:p></o:p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Punta Cana, Dominican Republic18.5333333 -68.366666718.4128923 -68.5245952 18.6537743 -68.2087382tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-87725264970457614162010-05-24T15:13:00.000-04:002010-05-24T15:13:47.407-04:00Writing PromptsIm trying to find ways to make myself write. I never thought it would be so hard to make myself do something i actually enjoy. I dont understand!!!!<div><br />
</div><div>Today im taking a prompt from <a href="http://oneminutewriter.blogspot.com/">The One Minute Writer</a></div><div><a name='more'></a></div><div>What song would I teach the world to Sing? </div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Details in the Fabric by Jason Mraz</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Calm Down, Deep Breaths </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>And get yourself dressed instead</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Of running around</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>And Pulling all your threads saying </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Breaking yourself up</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>If its a broken part, replace it</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>If its a broken arm than brace it </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>If its a broken heart than face it</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>And hold your own </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Know your name</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>And go your own way</i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Hold your own </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Know your name</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>And go your own way</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>And everything will be fine</i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Everything will be fine</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Hang on</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Help is on the way </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Stay strong </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Im doing everything</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Are the details in the fabric?</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Are the things that make you panic?</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Are your thoughts result of static cling?</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Are the things that make you Blow</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Hell, no reason, go on and scream</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>If your shocked, its just the fault </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>of faulty manufacturing</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Everything will be fine</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Everything in no time at all </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Hearts will hold</i></div><div><i><br />
</i></div></span></i></div><div><i><br />
</i></div><div>This song always makes me feel like everything will be fine no matter how bad things seem in my life. </div></span></i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-84360105649917334962010-04-28T23:54:00.000-04:002010-04-28T23:54:49.486-04:00Another Year, Another Candle<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Today i spent all day helping a friend run errands for her son's fourth birthday.</span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">The theme is motocross, and he knows exactly what he wants. He chose the colors and the cake; he even had a magazine to show the cake lady exactly what he wanted!! He is four!!! </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Kids these days are smarter than ever. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">I dont even remember what i liked when i was four and pretty sure my mom </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">used to spend very little money on my birthdays that young.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">These days it’s a whole other ballgame. There are ten thousand themes to choose from </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">anything from hello kitty to that annoying girl Hanna Montana. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">You go into a store and they have everything you need, im surprised</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">we didnt find any toilet paper but im sure it exists.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Anyway my point is why do parents make such a big deal about kid’s birthdays</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> when they are too young to ever remember it? Honestly my friend and her ex payed</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> the same amount I owe in credit card bills (which is a lot trust me) When i was young</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> all my birthdays where small because my Quinceanera was going to be Huge!!!</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> What do kids do for quinces now? Hire a Pop Star? Do parents take on loans to make that party?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">I’m not a very maternal person so maybe I just don’t get it, can someone please explain?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Tomorrow I'll post a picture so that you can see what a really really expensive cake looks like</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">P.S Blogger was being stupid so this post looks weird!! </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">I think the Disney Gods are punishing me for dissing one of their own</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-61605155970574973162010-04-27T20:10:00.000-04:002010-04-27T20:10:11.009-04:00Im sure it counts...I found a new website called <a href="http://getglue.com/">Get Glue</a> and its like Crack!! I cant put down the pipe!<br />
Ive spent all afternoon writing comments on it. That counts as writing right?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-3785003479553146132010-04-26T17:10:00.000-04:002010-04-26T17:10:41.806-04:00A little color never hurt anyone!<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Yesterday <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wrote a description for my blog and spent all day downloading templates. I love the new look and since I've decided I wont be cutting my hair until December this way I can change something in my life as many times as I want!!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I also added my Shelfari bookshelf wich I think anyone who loves reading needs to get. Its easy and free and you can keep track of all the books you’ve read or ar planning to read. There are thousands of groups you can join and its easy to make new friends. So if you love reading join <a href="http://shelfari.com/">Shelfari</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-31129064590457007822010-04-25T03:28:00.002-04:002010-04-25T20:37:50.446-04:00Take Two<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Life happens. You make choices that that change your course and sometimes, if you’re lucky, they change your life. After coming home from Haiti all I wanted to do was cry. Cry for the ten year old girl who lost hearing on her left ear because no one knew she had an ear infection. Cry for the limping father who didn’t want anyone to clean the open wound on his leg until someone helped his two month old little girl who lost her mother. Cry for the many Haitian volunteers that even when living in tents would show up every morning to see what they could do to help. Cry for the rain that fell on my tent while many others didn’t have the luxury of a roof. Cry for the smiling children who sang while waiting hours just for a chance to eat some crackers.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Haiti marked me. My experience there is tattooed on my soul and nothing I write can ever express all I saw, felt or learned there. There aren’t enough words in any language that can truly help me describe my experience. I won’t try to, all I can do now is live, enjoy my life, appreciate all I have and try to nourish my soul with all the joy I can get to feed it. Haiti taught me that living your life, enjoying it for what it is, only happens when you truly appreciate all that you still have. I have a lot. A lot to smile about, to laugh about, to cry about, to write about. So from now on I will just write.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I started this blog as I way to help me get back to writing. Ever since I was a little girl all I ever wanted was to be a writer. I wanted to put on paper the characters that lived in my head and had a story to tell. I wanted to re write the ending of my favorite Telenovela, or my favorite book, or my favorite movie. I wanted to live through my words all I had yet to live. Years later I still want all those things and my biggest failure has been to neglect this simple act that brings me joy. I set myself a goal that I won’t be able to meet now. So this is me starting over. I will not write five hundred words a day anymore. I will try to write every day with the understanding that life happens and that someday's are worth five hundred words, others a thousand and others merely ten. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">A good friend told me that the point is just to write. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-19112797527170371452010-02-11T14:49:00.001-04:002010-02-11T17:07:47.332-04:00Haiti: The Journey There<div class="MsoNormal">Day 1 </div><div class="MsoNormal">28/1/2010 to 29/1/2010</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Maybe the trip shouldn’t count as a full day, but I feel it deserves its own entry. The schedule time of arrival at the meeting place was ten pm. I got there thirty minutes late and the organizers where still registering the volunteers. We where suppose to leave by eleven but in the Dominican Republic being on time is never a reality. In the end we finally left around midnight. We got a lecture from a priest/psychologist about handling stress (it wasn’t a very good speech at all) and we waited to see if more of the volunteers who signed up would show up. They didn’t , only 12 of the 20 did. </div><br />
<div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">During the lecture a Haitian national that studies psychology in Santiago told us that based on what he had seen while in Haiti ( he worked for the red cross from January 13 until the 20<sup>th</sup>) right after the earthquake the death toll will be larger than anyone can imagine (he actually said 500,000!!) He said the rescue efforts focused on the buildings and houses in the main areas but that little help was reaching the small communities. By the time those far away places are finally reached the death toll would probably be higher than expected because some of those deaths could’ve been prevented with a faster response.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Our exodus from Sto Dgo was slowed by the Escogido celebrations. It was annoying (Licey Campeon!) but I understand their shock at such a feat, like someone said on twitter “the last time they won Luke Skywalker still didn’t know who is father was”.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">By 2:30 am I was up. Sleeping on a bus is not something I do well. I played with my aunts BB for awhile until we reached Jimani. There we waited a lot then finally got our vaccination shots before getting ready to cross the border</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Daylight came as we crossed to a place I was both anticipating and dreading. The drive to Leogane was longer than expected due to traffic but the biggest surprise to me was the lack of chaos on the streets. The TV made it seem like I would find Armageddon there, but I didn’t. I found tent camps everywhere, most of them made out of sticks and curtains or sheets; but mostly it was clean streets full of military personnel and lots of traffic. We saw a lot of broken down homes but they didn’t impact me as much as the colorful buses and how I finally saw a country where most drivers where as crazy as in the Dominican Republic. In the end I went back to napping until we reached the camp in Leogane. Little did I know then that what I would experience in the grounds of the Hospital Cardenal Leger would change my life forever. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Word count: 470</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-78872805012629442312010-01-28T20:07:00.001-04:002010-01-28T20:08:01.851-04:00Day 15: Following your heart<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The past couple of days I've been getting ready to go to Leogan, Haiti, to help with the logistics of a medical camp. My family has been very supportive, a little worried but they understand my desire to help. After the first couple of days I stopped looking at the graphic and I've chosen to only read stories of survival and courage. Survival. I am not trying to pretend things in Haiti are anything but horrendous. I understand that right now the entire country is covered in grief, in blood, in tears, in fear. I understand that but I choose to focus on the opposite end of this tragedy.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">I choose to celebrate the seventeen year old girl who was rescued fifteen days after the earthquake<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">I choose to celebrate the French rescue team that is still searching for people alive instead of removing bodies, even though the official rescue efforts have been called off<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">I choose to celebrate </span>Elisabeth, a 23-day-old baby, is rescued from the ruins of a house in the devastated town of Jacmel rescued 8 days after the earthquake<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">I choose to celebrate all the work many Dominicans are doing not because they have to but because they can<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">I choose to celebrate my brother who went to Haiti on a one week trip and chose to stay an extra week because they needed the help<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">I choose to celebrate all the people that are opening their homes to those who have none<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">I understand that as a whole what I will encounter will probably be so painful ill find it impossible to describe but I as I see it this is my chance learn what I am truly made of. I have always been a very loud, very opinionated person but this is the first time I can put my money where my mouth is. I used to dream I would change the world, I used to dream that I would make a difference but I've never done anything to actually turn those dreams into a reality. This is an opportunity for me to grow, a chance to discover the real meaning of hope and an opportunity to learn more about myself. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Obviously because of this trip I’m taking I won’t be able to post regularly (not that I've been doing that in the first place) but I am taking with me a blank notebook and two pens. Hopefully I’ll be able to keep writing every day while I'm there. When I come back ill try and type up all my experiences if I can. In the meantime I leave you with these inspiring words…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #073763; text-align: center;"><i>"If I am not for myself, who will be for me?<br />
If I am not for others, what am I? <br />
And if not now, when?" </i></div><div style="color: #073763; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #073763; text-align: center;"><i><span class="author3">Rabbi Hillel </span></i></div><div style="color: #073763; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #073763; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #073763; text-align: center;"><i>"Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it."</i></div><div style="color: #073763; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #073763; text-align: center;"><i><span class="author3"> Groucho Marx </span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Word Count: 523</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-20995343041487360312010-01-26T19:16:00.001-04:002010-01-26T19:17:24.862-04:00Day 14: Life Keeps getting in the way<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Life keeps getting in the way in more ways than I thought. I refuse to give up this project even when it looks like I already have. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">This super long weekend I had to work and even though I am very disorganized in my personal life my work related events run like clockwork. I am very anal about the pre cooking process and how timed my mise en place should be. Due to this obsession I spent Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning shopping for everything I would need for an event I had scheduled for all day Monday.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Sunday night all hell broke loose.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">My client calls me up and lets me know that everything we had planned will need to be rearranged. The first coffee break will just be cheese, muffins, a variety of breads, coffee, tea and Juice. I didn’t have muffins or a variety of breads, so I had to run out Monday morning, an off day, to get it. The lunch was changed twice before finally settling on what I had first offered minus one dish. The last dish was to be used for dinner and we would need to add two salads and an upgrade to the dessert.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The entire day was chaos. I ran late all day and to top it all off at the last minute I had to add an extra item because of the guest couldn’t eat eggplant!! It was not a good day for me. I am grateful I’m a fair enough cook to pull it off without anyone puking or hating everything, but I still did not have fun.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">This has officially turned into a rant and I don’t like the fact that is my second one in less than two weeks. I guess I whine a lot more than thought. I shouldn’t be complaining at all. I understand how blessed I am, specially lately.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">My brother left for Haiti last Saturday. He is working at a campsite providing food and health care to anyone that goes there. Yesterday he finally wrote an email and even though he didn’t go into much detail he let us know that the people of Haiti are going through so much and that every little thing helps. So if anyone is able to get off work for a week please contact </span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span lang="ES-DO" style="-moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding; background: yellow none repeat scroll 0% 0%; font-size: 11pt;">CAMPAMENTO COMISIÓN DE SALUD DE LA PLATAFORMA DE AYUDA A HAITÍ DE LA SOCIEDAD CIVIL DOMINICANA</span></b><span lang="ES-AR" style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="ES-DO" style="font-size: 11pt;">La Comisión de Salud ha establecido un campamento médico en Puerto Príncipe que está necesitando personal:</span></b><span lang="ES-AR" style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="ES-DO" style="font-size: 11pt;">SE NECESITA VOLUNTARIADO!!:</span></b><span lang="ES-AR" style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="ES-DO" style="font-size: 11pt;">-Personal Médico: Médicos generales, psicólogos, pediatras, ortopedas y ginecólogas.</span></b><span lang="ES-AR" style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="ES-DO" style="font-size: 11pt;">-Traductores y Apoyo logístico (que sean proactivos, con capacidad para coordinar, ofrecer todo tipo de soporte, que busquen soluciones a situaciones de búsqueda de alternativas).</span></b><span lang="ES-AR" style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span lang="ES-DO" style="font-size: 11pt;">INTERESADOS</span></u></b><b><span lang="ES-DO" style="font-size: 11pt;">: </span></b><span lang="ES-AR" style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="ES-DO" style="font-size: 11pt;">Por favor enviar su nombre, cédula y pasaporte (dominicanos, si tienen y extranjeros <u>obligatorio</u>), e-mail, teléfono formación y área de apoyo en el que puedan ser útiles) a los siguientes correos electrónicos:</span></b><span lang="ES-AR" style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><b><span lang="ES-DO" style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="mailto:n.camino@codetel.net.do" target="_blank">n.camino@codetel.net.do</a></span></b><span lang="ES-AR" style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="mailto:estibalizladron@yahoo.es" target="_blank"><span lang="ES-DO">estibalizladron@yahoo.es</span></a></span></b><span lang="ES-AR" style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="mailto:Chelsea.mcguire@gmail.com" target="_blank"><span lang="ES-DO">Chelsea.mcguire@gmail.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">I will follow my brother later this week and even though I won’t have internet access, I’ll take my notebook and lots of pens so that I can try and write my five hundred words every day I’m there. As soon as I’m back ill try to type everything and post it.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><br />
<div></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Tomorrow I have to get everything ready but I’ll try to post again before I leave. If not, be well, laugh hard, love without strings and enjoy every moment of your life.</span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Word Count: 576</span></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-63460746093310352552010-01-22T16:32:00.001-04:002010-01-22T16:33:17.839-04:00Day 13: When Life gets in the way<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">So life happened and I missed two days. The world didn’t end and today I have a desperate urge to write, plus the guilt of not posting two days in a row is eating me up, but the delay was unavoidable.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">First I had a wedding to attend. I love weddings especially when I like the people that are getting married. The trouble with weddings for me is that I just hate getting ready to go to one. The part I detest the most is finding the right dress. I hate shopping. I know it’s unnatural for a girl to hate this practice but I do, what can I say? I was traumatized when I was younger and now I can’t find any pleasure in the task. I can window shop as much as the next girl but trying on clothes makes me break out in hives. I love the process of looking at dresses and checking out the latest trends just so I can mock the ones I don’t like, but every time I try something on the joy disappears dress by dress. In this particular case I was lucky, I found my dress on the third store I visited and then everything else easily fell in to place. I had a great pair of shoes at home and the earrings and bracelet where easy to find. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The wedding was beautiful, the bride and groom radiant but the star of the night was the food. I have never eaten so well at a wedding party. We got there late, so we missed the ceremony but we didn’t miss the canapés. This first round my favorites where the dates stuffed with blue cheese and walnuts wrapped in bacon, the lobster ceviche and the chistorras wrapped in puff pastry. In the second round, the cold table, the shrimp where so perfectly cooked I couldn’t stop eating them, the lamb & mushroom voulavent was such perfection I could’ve eaten just that all night, and the lobster & corn empanadas where so good I only had the chance to eat one. After that came the hot buffet, between the Cochinillo and the Red Snapper I don’t know which one was better. The dessert table was so pretty and tasty that I didn’t even have room for the cake. I hear it was good. For a person that loves to eat as much as I do this night was a great one. I wish everyone has the chance to have a dinner like this, where the food is so amazing you’ll remember it for years to come. I feel sorry for my friends though because even though they looked beautiful and in love in this wedding the food was the most memorable part about it.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The next day I was ready to get back to writing but I slept in. I woke up late and had lunch with a friend at her recent obsession. Later I went to her house for some chatting and bonding with friends and their dogs. I of course I’m not a big dog fan, and that’s why every one of my friends has one and they all feel the need to rub up against my leg or cuddle next to me while I take a nap. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">After surviving some Tiki love, I went to dinner at an amazing French restaurant called “ Louis Phillipe” (c/ Casimiro de Moya #50 809.682.95551) with some great friends I hadn’t seen in awhile and laughed and ate and drank to my heart’s content. It was a perfect weekend of good food, lots to drink and great friends, therefore I can’t regret missing these past two days.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">I have realized that my project might not be as regular as I hope it could be, because sometimes the rest of the world gets in the way, so I will make some adjustments to the concept and give myself some leeway to make this work. In this country we have about thirteen holidays, so that means I have thirteen times where I can take a break. I guess now I only have eleven times but that’s ok, </span></span><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">I'll try to use them wisely</span></span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Word Count: 697</span></span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">P.S If anyone knows the exact number of off days please let me know</span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-34947834969196474012010-01-19T19:29:00.001-04:002010-01-19T19:31:07.893-04:00Day 12: The Wait is Over...<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: 11pt;">It arrived at ten seventeen am. I know that for a fact because I was setting the kitchen timer for a soufflé I was making for lunch and I looked at the radio clock sitting on top of the unplugged microwave. The doorbell rang as soon as I pressed start and for a second I though the noise was from the timer, but when it kept ringing I realized it was the door. I took of my apron as I walked towards the main entrance and tossed it on the sofa before I opened the door. The mailman greeted me with his usual cheeriness and asked about my family as he handed me all the mail that had been sent to us that day. I said my goodbyes distractedly as I browsed through the packages , searching for the one thing I’d been waiting for. The Wait was over. I can’t remember how many times I imagined myself in this same place, holding this same piece of paper waiting for the information inside it; but dreaming it and living it are two different things. <o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> I stood there for about forty minutes, dazed, staring at it, holding it as if at any moment it would vanish. I only know it was about forty minutes because the timer beeped and that’s how long I had it for. I shook my head as I put the closed enveloped down and walked back to the kitchen while retying my apron. I opened the oven and found that my soufflé, for once, had risen. It was a tempting golden color, fluffy and smelling like melted sugar and chocolate. I transferred the hot plate to the stove top where it could sit and cool, then went back out to face a past I longed to understand. <o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><br />
</i><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><i>I finally ripped the envelop open and took out the papers inside and read. “The information requested is unavailable” was all it said. I was numb, for a second I thought it was a joke. I couldn’t believe that after all the stress and worry I would just get a rejection. Or is it an omission? I didn’t understand what it meant. I'd been searching for this information for so long, going through the right channels, filling out all the required forms, spending hours on hold how can this be? What do I do now?</i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">This little moment in time was just a small exercise in fiction that might turn into something bigger or it might turn into nothing at all. Overall I’m happy that is longer than my last attempt at writing something that had nothing to do with the world outside my head. This project is sometimes easier and sometimes harder than I thought it would be. There are days when the words flow and there are days where getting each word out is harder than pulling teeth, but each day helps me get back a passion I thought id lost. My writing juices are finally waking up and with any luck soon all my entries will deal with fiction instead of reality<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Word Count: 515</span></span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-74228299649022867742010-01-18T17:03:00.001-04:002010-01-18T17:04:53.203-04:00Day 11 : Lazy Day<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">I love lazy days. </span><span style="font-size: small;">There is nothing better than getting up late and staying in your pajamas all day. </span><span style="font-size: small;">This Sunday I did nothing but watch Tv and eat all day.<o:p></o:p> I was planning on doing so much on Sunday, but I woke up with a headache and kind of cranky so I just stayed in bed until my dad came and asked me what we were having for lunch. I've learned over the years to just cook something instead of putting up a fight so I went to the kitchen to see what I could find.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pasta is always my first choice on days like this. You only need a can of sauce, a couple of extra stuff to throw in (sausage, bacon, mushrooms) some salt and pepper to taste and entire family has a full meal in less than 30 minutes. My family eats a lot, really, a lot, especially when my niece and nephews are here, like today. So I made a pound and a half of penne and fed all the hungry family members bugging me. For myself I reheated some left over Chinese food. I love left over Chinese, is one of my favorite things to eat.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">After lunch we all sat around the TV to watch three hours of American Idol Season Nine auditions. The auditions are my favorite part of this show. This year looks like it’s going to be a good one because in only two shows I already have a lot of people I like. I loved the guy with the skinny jeans and the shaggy hair, the Latina girl from Berkley, the country girl who jumped bridges, the sixteen year old that spoke Portuguese, the police officer, the Italian guy, the sixteen year old with the twelve brothers and someone else but I don’t remember know. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">After American idol ended I started getting ready for the nights entertainment, The Golden Globes.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have to say again that I barely saw any of the movies and TV shows nominated, and that’s why my winner list from yesterday was more wish list than prediction. <o:p></o:p>My favorite part of every award show is the Red Carpet, the clothes. I am not a girly girl, I don’t salivate over brands, and if I have some extra cash ill never spend it in clothes, but I love Red Carpet Fashion. Yesterday’s show was boring in every way. Nothing on the red carpet stood out in a good way. There were some dresses I thought where ok, but nothing I absolutely loved.</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">My favorite's of the night where surprisingly enough the sparkly dresses. Tony Colette, Jen Garner, Thirteen & Cuddy from House all sparkled and looked really good. The worst one was definitely Patricia Arquette; she always wears weird stuff and let’s not even mention her husband, WTF?!!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Over all I didn’t find anything truly horrendous or offensive but neither did anything pop as the best. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">In general the show was boring; Ricky Gervais did nothing for me. The Best acceptance speeches belonged to both Monique & Robert Downey Jr; the worst to Meryl Streep, I usually love her but yesterday i didnt get a word she said. Award season has officially begun on a blah note; let’s hope next week’s Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAGs) are less safe, clothes wise.</span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Word Count: 532</span></span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-36364751318745291942010-01-17T19:14:00.001-04:002010-01-18T17:04:33.780-04:00Day 10: Pretty Golden Spheres<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tonight the Golden Globes are on so I’m getting together with some friends for a viewing party. In honor of this event I will post who I want to win an award. I haven’t seen many of the nominees but I don’t care, I’m making my winner list.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">So my version of <i>“And the winner is”</i> goes as follows:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Best Television Series – Drama <o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Out of all the nominees I've seen four and a half seasons of House and two episodes of True Blood. I'm not down with the whole vampire thing so my Globe goes to House<o:p></o:p></span></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Best Television Series – Comedy or Musical<o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Glee!!!! But let it be clear I’m not dismissing the other ones it’s just that this is the only one I've seen and really really like it.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span>Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama<o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hugh Laurie, House. Refer to Category #1<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p><b>Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama<o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Since the only one I've seen is Anna Paquin in True Blood (twice!!) that’s my pick<o:p></o:p></span></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span>Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical<o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">I only know the nominee from Glee but since I think Mr. Shue is an oblivious wimp Ill pick Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock he is the only actor I enjoy from the list</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p><b>Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical<o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Yeah yeah her chances are slim, my these are my Golden Globes so Lea Michele, Glee<o:p></o:p></span></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span>Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture made for Television <o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">My favorite character on the show Barney!! Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother. Eventhough I still resent him for being gay!! He broke my heart when he came out!!<o:p></o:p></span></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture made for Television <o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Jane Lynch, Glee and that’s how Sue C’s it!!<o:p></o:p></span></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span>Best Picture, Drama<o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Any Picture not named Avatar is fine by me!!!!!!<o:p></o:p></span></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Best Picture, Musical/Comedy<o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">My Globe goes to Julie & Julia. I saw the Hangover but my favorite thing from that film where the pictures at the end so there!!<o:p></o:p></span></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Best Actor, Drama</b><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">This one is tough since I haven’t seen any of the movies I have to decide between my love for Colin Firth, The Single Man or George Clonney, Up in the Air. I wont . Either can have it. A la garata con puno!!</span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p><b>Best Actress, Drama<o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side. I really really loved that movie<o:p></o:p></span></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span>Best Actor, Musical/Comedy<o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">I'm going to say Joseph Gordon-Levit because I don’t think hes ever won anything and he should!!!<o:p></o:p></span></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Best Actress, Musical/Comedy<o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia. She did an uncanny Julia Child</span></b><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p><b>Best Director<o:p></o:p></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Anyone But James Cameron. His ex wife would be nice.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">I'm stopping there because it’s not as fun when you know don’t know any of the nominees and all the categories left are the boring ones.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Let the awards begin…….</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Word Count:502</span></b></span><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-6840270746153296702010-01-16T20:47:00.006-04:002010-01-17T01:47:29.005-04:00Day 9: The Importance of Friends<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">I am a very lucky person. I am not shy and because of this everywhere I've lived I've been able to meet a lot of people. Meeting people is one of my favorite things to do in the world, and so far I've been very blessed. My Facebook friend counter is pretty high to prove it,(jaja) ,and although I’m sure there are people out there who don’t like me I can usually fit into any group. I have been blessed by so many chances to meet new people under many different circumstances, giving me the opportunity to learn so much on how to be better person.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have learned, that courage can wear the latest trends or the dirtiest rags, that laughter can come in a suit, that hugs are always better when freely given and that having people to love is the best thing in the world. This is a love note to every friend I have, I don’t feel like I have to name names because you know who you are. Thank you for letting me be a part of your life, I love you.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Every friend plays a different role but all are important. I have the elementary-high school friends that keep me grounded by reminding me that they have material to blackmail for they knew me when I was going through the awkward stage. Then I have the friends I met during my college years that met an improved version of my high school self but that still have enough on me to ruin my life if they wanted to; Just kidding. The friends that knew you way back when, are the ones you usually don’t talk to everyday, or party with all the time, but when a crisis strikes they are the first ones you run to and it’s as easy as it use to be before “the real world” came along.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Then there are the random people that come into your life through a chance meeting. They are friends of the cousin of the sister of the girl you use to room with. Those are the magic surprises life brings into your life. People that you can’t ever imagine not having in your life even if you’ve only known each other for a year or so. People were the connection was so automatic and intense it feels like you’ve known them forever. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have both types of friends and the fact that I can count on all of them for anything makes me a one of the richest human beings in this world.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is a note of thanks for all the laughter we’ve shared, all the tears you’ve put up with, all the loud squeals when something good happens, all the shared hopes and all the secrets fears. Thank you for your support, especially in the past year, when at times I thought I’d never get out of the black hole I was in. If it wasn’t for your constant love and support I don’t know if I would’ve made it out as happy and at peace as I am today. Thank You.</span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Word Count: 520</span></span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-30151371747870566512010-01-16T01:26:00.003-04:002010-01-16T01:39:09.503-04:00Day 8: A Day of Cooking<div style="text-align: justify;">Thanks to my father, on December thirty of 2009, I got a client for New Years Eve. The client loved my food and called me two days ago to see if I was able to do a dinner party for them Friday January fifteen (today). I of course said yes.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">With every client the first thing I do is find out how many people will be eating. Second I ask if there are any food allergies or anything that the host/hostess doesn’t like. Then I ask them what type of gathering it will be, drinks and appetizers, a formal sit-down dinner or an informal family style night. After all that information is exchanged I then proceed to create personalized menu options they can choose from. They can choose one of the set options I give them or they can mix and match from all the options and create their own menu.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Wednesday night, I sent them three options. On Thursday morning they repl ied saying they chose number one. The informal family style dinner was only for seven but they asked me to cook for eight because they love left over’s. I didn’t complain and started to prepare for my day of cooking.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The menu they chose was as follows:<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><i>Dates, goat cheese and cashews salad</i><br />
</div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><i>Rosemary & Lemmon Chicken</i><br />
</div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><i>Bacon infused rice</i><br />
</div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><i>Penne Pasta with a Portobello Mushroom Sauce</i><br />
</div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><i>Bread Pudding topped with Brandy Mascarpone</i><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As with every event I have to cook for, the first thing I do is set up my shopping list. After I know what I need, I figure out what I already have so that I can use it. Then I go to my different suppliers and gather all the ingredients still missing. When everything that will be used is in my kitchen I set up my prep list and get to work.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I am lucky enough to have two amazing parents who believe enough in me to let me live in their house for free (again) and promote my work to all their friends. So in my parent’s kitchen I started cooking today’s meal. Usually I would only do the basic prep then spend the last three to four hours at the client’s home finishing the meal. Tonight the hostess only wanted me to put the finishing at her place. In this special case, I pre cooked almost everything at home (I made the pasta at their house) then took it in disposable containers to their place.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I got there an hour and a half before dinner time. I found the serving plates I would need and started setting up with the great help of my new assistant (High five, high five!!). When all was said and done I had a happy host & hostess and five people id never met before who all left with my contact info. It was a hectic day but in the in the end a very productive one.<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Maybe next time ill figure out a way to write down my five hundred words before I start cooking instead of waiting to for the day to end<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Oh well January sixteen will have to live with two posts, the fourteen says it’s no biggie…..<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Word Count: 536</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">P.S Proof reading before posting is your friend. Thank God for the Edit button!!!! <br />
</span><br />
</div><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1248306581768586808.post-21129823223603879512010-01-14T20:11:00.001-04:002010-01-16T01:26:56.045-04:00Day 7: Diary of a Mad Woman<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Today was a better day at the volunteer center. I got in late, around ten thirty in the morning, and already it was fuller than last night. Because of a previous engagement I could only stay until two pm but I am grateful I was able to help. Thankfully we got a lot of water and medicine, in today’s donation effort and hopefully the next few days will only mean more supplies for the people of Haiti.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">I always prided myself in being a well informed person that can be rational in the face of ignorance, that can be calm in the face of adversity and that can be willing to drop anything in order to help people with bigger needs than my own. I finally realize that I am only capable of helping others but that I can’t abide ignorant people or stay calm in the face of something I consider unjust.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">This horrible tragedy that has befallen the people of Haiti is not a joking matter. It is real. As we speak, people are homeless, fathers & mothers are childless, children are listless as they wander the destroyed streets of the only home they’ve ever known. Yet all over the country you hear the snide comments underneath the pleas of help. I can hear them loud and clear and it shames me to the core that my fellow Dominicans can be so petty at a time like this.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">I know I am not a typical Dominican person, my family is not religious, my parents don’t think the most important role I’ll ever have in life is to be a wife and mother, I don’t care about the in crown or the latest clothes so maybe the things that affect me seem strange to the rest of the world; but as usual I don’t care. I can’t stay quite in the midst of all the stupidity I've encountered in the past two days.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">I can understand that not everyone is as emotional or intense as I am and maybe because I’m both to the nth degree everything affects me more than other people, yet I am proud of that. I am not a hypocrite that sends out cans of food while condemning and entire country based on the color of their skin. I am not building with hands to later destroy with words. I don’t stand around preaching to God while saying that “Haiti is cursed...because of a pact they made with the devil”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">I hope I am not alone in my anger. I hope I am not alone in my shame towards those radio personalities that want to focus so much on how great we are for helping but that we must help over there. I am not saying we need to open the borders but I don’t believe we can condition our help. Do you condition your love? The people of Haiti need everything, as their neighbors we should be willing to do for them all we want them to do for us if we were in need. </span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Word Count: 511 </span><br />
</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-left: 354pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-left: 354pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1