The Kids Are Alright...sometimes

A couple of days ago, I tweeted about how my faith in youth was restored.
I took the kid and her friend to the park after watching a movie, and did not realize that I dropped my phone on our way back to the car.
It wasn't until we were almost at our friend's house that I realized my phone was gone.
My friend told me that she was trying to call me when a boy answered my phone.
He told her that they found it in the playground.
The boy and his 2 friends waited until I was able to return to the park.

I thanked them profusely.
I told them that I would have give them cash but I only have $2 in my wallet.
The boy said cash was not necessary,
but if I can give them a ride to the store across the park.
I couldn't say NO.
On the way to the store, I found out that they were all high school students.
One goes to Tates Creek HS, the boy who found my phone is home schooled,
and his girl friend goes to Masterson Station HS.
All 3 kids were very polite.
Often answering "yes ma'm" or "no ma'm".

When they got out of the car, we thanked each other again
and wished each other a Happy Easter.

I was nervous but impressed on how polite they were.
I knew his friend tried to get him to ask for cash reward,
but he told his friend that he couldn't do that.
Which by the way, impessed me most!

Just when I feel like the youth of today is going down the toilet...
something like this happens that renews my faith.

Lent Vent #1

My friend Ty Martell posted something on his blog that hit a nerve with me.
His latest church experience is actually on my list of why I stopped going to Mass.
Click on this LINK to read his post.

Every service now is really less on reflection of the Gospel, but more on how parishioners can help the church financially.
In fact, at our church, parishioners must make a 3-year pledge in giving money.
This call for pledges happens EVERY Sunday.

Actually, it started with "Time and Talent" request.
Then Vacation Bible School was no longer free.
Soon after that was the 3-year pledge.
Last summer, a letter came with the Sunday School Formation registration form with a $50 fee...per child.

I have been volunteering at this church for about 4 years now.
Though I understand why they need to start charging for Sunday school and Vacation Bible School, but if I'm giving them my Sunday mornings to help out, shouldn't we, as volunteers, either continue not paying to send our kids to Sunday school, or at least give us a discount?

At first, I thought it was only my parish that started the registration fee requirement.
I've asked around and found out that all parishes are now charging for community services that used to be free. The only difference though is that some parishes charges per family, and did give their volunteers a break.

Now, I really don't know if EVERYONE that attends Sunday School Formation did pay the registration fee, especially the families with multiple children.
If they had to, that is indeed a lot of money to shell out. What I know for sure is that another volunteer did pay $100 for her 2 kids to attend formation.

So why am I still volunteering?
It's because I already committed this year, and I just tell myself that I am setting a good example to my child. I just can't promise though that I'll be back again next fall.
I might just have to find a different way to get my community services fulfillment another way.

Space Reclamation Project

Per my earlier post, I mentioned that we converted the kid's playroom to our  bedroom.
Here are a few pictures showing the progress of Space Reclamation Project  (SRP).

Phase I of SRP - remove ALL of EJ's toys

SRP Phase II - move our things over.

"Tabasco" from Porter Paint.
The SRP Specialist hard at work

Snow in March

Out of the bosom of the Air,

Out of the cloud-folds of her garments shaken,

Over the woodlands brown and bare,

Over the harvest-fields forsaken,

Silent, and soft, and slow

Descends the snow.

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Catnip Hill Pike



Taken along Catnip Hill Pike on my way to work.



The snow on the naked tree branches - just magical!

Lent 2012: Days 4 to 14

It has been a very busy couple of weeks. It was so busy, I did not even have time to think of Facebook!
So far my days were all about work, work, and work.
While the evenings and weekends were occupied with Words with Friends on my Kindle Fire, marathon of Brothers & Sisters via Netflix, and lately making pom-poms.

Last Feb 26-28, I experienced my very first Due Diligence site visit.
My employer is looking into purchasing a company in sunny FL, and I was lucky enough to be one of the 10 people who went on site. We left Lexington in the morning of the 26th and returned late in the evening of the 28th. The rest of the week flew by, catching up on work that piled up.

Saturday (3/4) was "Read Across America" day, and the kid's 2nd grade class performed at the mall.
Here are 3 videos that I took during their performance. Kind of hard to see where she is, but she is on the 2nd row.

One more thing that the kid managed to do this weekend is to ride her bike with no training wheels! I am so proud of her!

Back Off!

Dear Tailgater,

What is your problem?  If I am going 70 mph on a 55 mph road, why do you think I will speed up more if you start getting close to my bumper? Why would you assume as well that I will move out of your way? Just to prove how stupid and wrong you are for tailgating me, here's a few taps on my break which will also bring me down to the actual speed limit. Lucky you though that you only need to suffer my annoying break lights for just a minute or two since my turn is coming right up.

In the future, if you want to drive at a break neck speed, go change lanes and just overtake me. I would not mind that at all.

Have a great day!

Sincerely,
The Car in Front of You

Winter 2009

Last week we had a major ice storm here in LexKy. Power went out in our area Wednesday at about 3:30 AM. The first 24 hours of no heat was not too bad because of residual heat. Not being able to cook or heat food was actually harder.

Our power came back on the next day around 6 PM. We were the few fortunate ones around here. There are still some areas who are still in the dark. Our street was still very slick since snow plowers does not clean up side streets, country roads, and subdivisions. Trying to get to a main road was a pain in the you-know-where.

The temperature went up over the weekend and slowly started melting the ice. Start rejoicing right?

WRONG!
Mother Nature just dumped snow on us last night! Today's temperature of 15F will be of little help to us.

I do love winter and snow! It's the ice that I can't stand and driving through all that crap. I'll take the cold anyday, just no more ICE please. Better yet, give me SPRING....NOW!!!

Early Christmas Present

I received an early Christmas present from the Court Administrator of Fayette county.
It was in letter form and it's telling me that I've been selected.
I've been selected (and summoned) to appear at the Circuit Court on Jan. 29.
Failure to comply may result in a fine or jail time.

I am actually surprised that it took them this long to call me.
When I first moved to New York, I received a summon less than 3 months after I changed my license. Fortunately, I was not a U.S. citizen yet. The second summon came 11 months after I got sworn in, but since the dates that I have to show up was a week after leaving NYC.

So...yay! Merry Christmas to me!

I VOTED!

Yes, that’s what I did yesterday and I have the sticker to prove it!

It was my first Presidential election since becoming an American citizen and I was very excited to exercise that right. Actually, it’s my first time to vote, period!

Up to the last minute I was agonizing as to who I want to vote for. I was not really leaning heavily towards any specific candidate, and like any Americans, had big doubts about them.

When I finally did hit that button, I was not really over the moon, nor do I regret the choice I made. I was just glad that it was over and that I actually did it!

Halloween 2008

For halloween this year, Emma's costume was the old hag who gave Snow White the poisoned apple. I forgot to bring the wig for her costume, so she just ended up as the girl in black cloak carrying bad apples...

Thanks to Lourra and Chris for inviting us to their home and their neighborhood. Emma's trick or treat loot was better this time around. She also enjoyed it more too since she did it with Maverick, her friend/classmate.

Also, a HUGE thank you to MYRA for the beautiful cloak! That's two years in a row that MY made Emma's costume.

I actually tried it when it first came in the mail and I was seriously considered using it for myself! Emma won't let me borrow it though.

So far Emma had been a "Darling Little Devil" (2005), a broom riding ballerina (2006), "Little Dead Riding Hood" (2007), and of course the person that offered Snow White a poisoned apple. I can't wait for next year!

Greatest Show on Earth

Today Emma watched the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey
circus for the first time.
As mentioned in my earlier blog, this was part
of her "fours old" birthday extravaganza.
In true Emma form, as soon as Jay told her that she was
getting a surprise, she won't stop asking us what it was.

We finally arrived at Rupp Arena and even with the big
RB&B trailers out in the open, she had no clue what was
in store for her. Seriously, clueless!
We got inside, found our seats, passed by gazillion souvenir booths...and nothing.
Okay, granted that she can't read yet and really has not seen
advertisement for the circus...but it was just funny how everything
kind of just went over her little head.

The show started and she just sat there quietly.
I hooted and hollered.
Clapped, laughed, and yelled "marshmallow."
Emma? She just stared.
As we Filipinos like to say..."deadma!"
No reaction.
Nada.

Jay leaned over to her and said, "it's the circus Emma."
We were taking turns pointing out stuff to her.
Twenty minutes in the show, she started clapping along.
Finally, we had a pulse!!!

Then the tigers were brought in.
You can see in her big brown eyes that she's
a little bit scared of the whole act.
She reacted well with the clowns and some of the acrobats,
but there were some that scared her a bit too.
During intermission, she complained that she was hungry.
The second part of the show, more complaining.
"I'm hungry."
"Is it over yet?"
"When is it going to be over?"
"Can we go to Mcdonalds?"
"It's hurting my ears."
Finally it was over.

On our way to the car we were asking her if she liked the circus.
She said, "no."
She said that the animals scared her because they were acting "funny."
She did like the clowns and the zebras.
She was scared for someone coz she fell (she actually jumped).
Of course later on she said she liked everything.

Then while I was putting her to bed she asked,
"why do they have animals at the circus?"
I was taken aback by her question.
I don't really know the answer, so I just sort of skirted around it.
Hmmmmm....
So why do they put animals in the show?

By the way, the tickets were pretty inexpensive.
We were in the $24 seats and it hada great view of the whole thing.
Someone gave me a 50% coupon, so we only paid $12 for ours.
Where they'll kill you is in the merchandising!

Souvenir programs = $20
Cotton Candy with RBB&B "Dr. Seuss" looking hat = $12
Twirling light thingies = $22
Snow Cones in souvenir cups = $15
Lemonade in souvenir cups = $9
Calming down a high in sugar toddler = Priceless!

Luckily, Emma did not ask for any of them.
She was actually quite content to eat the $3 (yeah still $$$) pretzel and the $3 bottled water we got from the arena vendor.

Will post pictures later.
With the digicam dead, I have to go low-tech in the photography section.

If you have forgotten how that goes, it's like this -
step 1: take the pictures
step 2: wait for the film to rewind
step 3: remove film from camera
step 4: take the used film to a developing center
step 5: pick-up photos after an hour
(if you asked for a picture CD do step 6; if not, do step 7)
step 6: upload digital version of the photos
step 7: scan photos and then do step 6.

Civilization

FINALLY! Lexington now has a -

WOOHOOOO!!! Oh yeah! Civilization meter just went up a notch.

Can be next?

Just the thought of it, makes me salivate!

About the Video

The video posted below was my first attempt in using Window's Movie Maker.
Since I was in a bit of a rush to make the video,
I did not have the time to proof it.
So please pardon any errors (like "It is Finish" instead of "It is Finished!").
I would have corrected them but I'm ready to crash.
I am not even sure if this post will make any sense when I read it tomorrow.

Oh well, just scroll down and enjoy!

Background music by:
Dan Zanes & Friends
Green Acres theme

Target and Me

Last night Emma and I were wandering aimlessly around Target.
We’ve already gone up and down the toy aisle, twice,
when she finally decided to move to the book aisle.
After 10 minutes or so of browsing,
I heard this big ‘thunk’ in my cart.

Me: Emma what did you just put in my cart?
Emma: My Bible.

I picked up the book and saw that it was one of
those abridged Bible stories for children.

Emma: I gotta have my Bible Mommy. I just have to!
Me: [text messaging my friend Ty] “Emma just put a Children’s Bible in my cart, what the hell?????” [Ty’s response: “Wtf?”]

Emma: [interrupting my text messaging activity] Can we get it Mommy? Can we? Can we? You can read it to me tonight and I can read it to Grandma. Pleaaase Mommy, pleeeaaase!

Okay, so tell me, how do you say “no” to a request like that?
I just have to say “Yes” out of fear.
Fear that if I say “No” God will strike me down on the spot,
leaving a gaping hole in the middle of the book aisle at Target.
I can see the headline now, “Woman a Lightning Target!”

----------------------------------------------------------------

In a totally unrelated news…

A couple of days ago I excitedly started messaging my brother and sis-in-law with birthday wishes for my nephew Kaleb. When I went home for lunch, I excitedly told Jay that Kaleb turns 1 that day.

At about 3:00 PM that day, I logged in on MySpace to post a comment on one of Kaleb’s photo to wish him on his especial day, when it finally hit me.

“OMFG today is June 24, not 25th!!!”

Allday long, I really thought that it was June 25th!
What sucks was I’ve been writing “June 24” ALL freaking morning!!!

Here’s another one for you.
This morning, I told my colleague here at work that a certain
student is “a very stubborn young man.”

YOUNG MAN!
I referred to another human being as a “YOUNG MAN.”
I actually used those words...YOUNG MAN

What is WRONG WITH ME????

breathe in....breathe out...shoooooooooo

Summer 2008 Casualty

This is what happens when you toil under the sun without applying sunscreen first.

It's not pretty and it hurts like h-e-l-l.

This reminds me of that Buz Luhrmann's song "Everyone's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)"

If I could offer you one tip for the future,

sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the (Read the rest of the lyrics here.)

BTW, there is nothing erotic or kinky about this picture.

It's just plain...uhm...funny and painful!!!

Let this be a lesson to y'all fair skinned humans.

Horse Park

Last Saturday, Emma, Jay and I went to the Kentucky Horse Park.
The park was hosting the National Intercollegiate
Polo Championship match. According to the announcement
they had in the Friday paper, they were doing some children's
activities prior to the match.

One of the advertised activity was a place where children can
be up close and pet a pony. Since it was a free event,
Jay and I said, "why not?"

The pre-match events were suppose to start at 3:00 PM
and the Women's Final was scheduled for 5:00 PM.
We got there at exactly 3:00, and boy what a disappointment!

There was NOTHING.
Aside from the First Aid truck with a fuzzy mascot and
a simulated ride, nothing else was happening.
N-O-T-H-I-N-G

We ended up walking to a nearby paddock where they were
having the Bluegrass Open Mounted Games.
Emma was not interested to watch that at all.
All she wanted to do was pet a darn horse.

On our way out of the park, we managed to find
a paddock where two horses were grazing.
Emma got her wish.
On top of that she also managed to step on horse poop.

OMFG! The stench!!!
I have cleaned everything.
I also washed her shoes.
Even after washing it and drying it, it was still smelly.
So now, it's in the basement wrapped in Bounce dryer sheet.

If anyone knows how to get rid of the stench...
leave me a message!!!

Other than that, got pictures on my Flickr site.
Sorry, no actual poop picture was taken.

"He who sings well..."

According to St. Augustine, "He who sings well, prays twice."
I have to do a lot of extra praying since I can't sing well,
but Lord knows I try!

Emma loves to sing.
Her repertoir, as one can expect from a three year old,
is very limited. The only two songs she can really sing
from start to finish is her "ABC," and "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."

Last Sunday, I finally went to church with Emma.
She had Sunday school that morning, so I decided to give
the Church-Emma combo another chance.
On our way to church school, I told her of our plans
and instructed her on the proper behavior in church.

Ten minutes to 11:00, we entered the church's vestibule.
Her first question was, "where the choir?"
(She remembered the term from our last failed attempt.)
We took our seat and I reminded her again about the rules.

Mass started promptly at 11:00 a.m.
The congregation stood up, and Emma did too.
She did the sign of the cross when prompted.
Actually more like she said the words out loud,
but did not do the hand part.
She sat down when we all sat.
I was thinking, "Wow! Perfect!!!"

Observant as always, she picked up on the relationship
between the opened hymn book and singing.
Next song, she took a hymn book, opened it, and
when the song started, so was her singing.
Right on cue.

So there she was with an open hymn book.
Singing - "ABC" and then "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."
Her voice gradually increasing in volume.
Working up to that moment where she can sing her little heart out.

That's when I told her to STOP.

2008 - so far

It has been said that whatever it is you are doing when the New Year begins, that is what you'll be doing that rest of the year.
I guess, Emma and I will be doing a whole lot of sleeping this 2008.

Jay on the other hand, will be doing a lot of TV watching.
He actually stayed up to watch the ball drop at Times Square
and it made him cry.
He said that he cried because he just realized where he is living now.
Poor guy.

New Year's Day -
Jay and I watched our very first movie of the year - Sweeney Todd.
I just fell in love with JD all over again!
Kudos to Tim Burton.
I believe this is the best movie he had ever directed.
His masterpiece!
The movie was very dark and really bloody.
The acting were superb.
JD, Sacha Baron Cohen, and the rest
of the Harry Potter cast were just amazing!

By the way, if you look at Sweeney Todd closely, doesn't he look
like he can be the offspring of Tim Burton and Edward Scissorhands?
But instead of having scissors for hands, Todd has "friends...precious friends."

I also bought the soundtrack for Sweeney Todd,
and believe it or not - Emma likes it!
Except for track 1. She thinks it's too scary.

Well, there you go.
The first 14 days of my 2008.
Not much has happened, but that's not really a bad thing.

Happy New Year y'all!

Halloween 2007

Happy Halloween!

Tonight, Emma went trick or treating for the first time.

She's been practicing for weeks now how to say "trick or treat,"

but when she finally got the chance to say it...zipped...nada!

I ended up doing the all the talking.

She did not get a lot of treats, since we did not really do a lot of houses.

By the time we took out the chocs and candies that may contain

or contains tree nuts and peanuts -

there was really nothing left for her to enjoy.

Though she really did enjoy handing out the treats to the "kiddies."

Well, here's my Little Red Riding Hood aka Little Dead Riding Hood.

Thanks to my friend Myra for making Emma's cape.

Footloose

I love to dance.
I am proud to say that I do not have two left feet
I can move them if you show me how.
As long as it does not involve my toes touching anything
past my ankles, or me bending down to touch my toes.

I really can dance.
The problem is I just can’t dance gracefully.
In fact I look like a bouncing ball when I dance,
or a big fat penguin trying to bust a move.
Okay except Mambo…Mambo sure can dance.

Anyway, my lack of grace has not stopped me
from wearing my dancing shoes.
Thanks to my Mom, I learned how to do the
basic cha-cha, swing, and boogie steps as a child.
When I was living in Maryland and getting over my
Dad’s death and figuring out what to do with my then
boyfriend, I signed up for jazz classes at the community center.
That lasted about 2 months…the boyfriend got in the way.

Then I had the balls to go to hip-hop dance classes.
Yes you read it right…hip-hop.
I neither looked hip nor was I hopping,
and I hated the wall of mirrors in that room.

I also did ballroom dancing courtesy of my friend Connie.
I tagged along whenever I can to her ballroom dancing socials.

Then I moved to NYC.
Only danced I did there was in the tiny and over crowded Café Wha.

Now that I am in Lexington, KY
I recently started doing….
Country/Western Line Dancing!
Yee haw!!!

We started off with the Electric Slide, just because
it’s one that almost everyone knows.
Then I learned how to do the Watermelon Crawl, Cow Girl
Twist, Alley Cat, and two others that I just can’t recall the name.
No, “Achy Breaky Heart” was not one of them.
Yes, I will be learning the steps to that song.
Yee haw!!!

So I'm dancing once again.
New city, new style of dance.
As Kenny Loggins once said,
“I’m turning it loose!
Footloose!”