Thursday, April 28, 2011
take your child to work day
Today is the official "Take your child to work day." The labs and office area are teaming with children. They are frightening. I caught myself saying the eff word twice and changed it to fudge just in time. I also have run over two of them today as I was trying to open the door. What can I say except that children frighten me. And the combination of children, caustic chemicals and biological agents scares me even more.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Another Year...
"This year may provide great travel opportunities. Go to places you never thought you'd go. Open your heart to new experiences, new relationships and new interpretations of what abundance is. Discover your own wealth." -- My horoscope for today, AMNewYork
Today is my 35th Birthday. As some of you may know, I love birthdays -- other people's birthdays, not so much my own. This one is especially tough. At 35, I am solidly middle-aged and am recovering from a break up that has truly put me through the proverbial emotional wringer (who knew I had so many tears to shed?). How's that for down in the dumps?
Reading my horoscope on my commute to work this morning reminded me that this year could be my best one yet. Going through each line of my fortune, I realized: (i) I have already traveled a great deal (San Antonio, Boston, Baltimore, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the Connecticut countryside thus far (not bad for the first 4 months of the year), and Santo Domingo, DR next month); (ii) I had one of my best meals from the parking lot of a strip club (didn't expect that, but yum! pit beef!) in Baltimore; (iii) 2011 will be the year that I finally learn how to swim, so that I complete my first triathlon (that's definitely a new experience!), I am not quite ready to open my heart to new relationships, but I know I'll get there eventually, and over the past few weeks (during which I have been riding an emotional roller coaster), I was reminded that I am very lucky to have an abundance of incredibly supportive and wonderful friends; and (iv) my own wealth resides in what I already have.
So, here's to my 35th year, and to all that lies ahead. Looking forward to seeing what you have in store for me!
Reading my horoscope on my commute to work this morning reminded me that this year could be my best one yet. Going through each line of my fortune, I realized: (i) I have already traveled a great deal (San Antonio, Boston, Baltimore, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the Connecticut countryside thus far (not bad for the first 4 months of the year), and Santo Domingo, DR next month); (ii) I had one of my best meals from the parking lot of a strip club (didn't expect that, but yum! pit beef!) in Baltimore; (iii) 2011 will be the year that I finally learn how to swim, so that I complete my first triathlon (that's definitely a new experience!), I am not quite ready to open my heart to new relationships, but I know I'll get there eventually, and over the past few weeks (during which I have been riding an emotional roller coaster), I was reminded that I am very lucky to have an abundance of incredibly supportive and wonderful friends; and (iv) my own wealth resides in what I already have.
So, here's to my 35th year, and to all that lies ahead. Looking forward to seeing what you have in store for me!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
An excuse to post an embarrassing photo.
Happy Birthday to me ... a little late. Two weekends ago, I turned 35. A frightening thought to be middle aged, sans a husband, children, pets and a steady income. I am starting to get frown lines, and the other day was wondering if I should look into that Restalin. Am already in an Obagi pact with my sister, so I feel like adding a few more cosmetic procedures.
To cheer me up, Evil Twin #2 came down from NYC. And as always the events were epic. The whole weekend started out so innocent. Two girls getting crab cakes and going to bed at 11pm on a Friday night. Even the next day was fairly wholesome. ET#2 and I, went to the National Gallery of Art to see the Gauguin exhibit. Sure he was really pervy, but it was art right? We had lunch with friends, a trip to the Cowgirl Creamery. We even had a romantic stroll around the Tidal basin to see the Cherry blossoms. Yup. The whole weekend was going to be wholesome and very middle sized city American.
It all started down the dark dangerous path of liquor , when ET#2 and I started talking about feelings. Yes, that is right feelings. And in the midst of feelings, ET#2 said such a strange thing. "Let's go have a beer with your friends at the bar." Strange, because ET#2 is not really a beer drinker. Sure a glass of wine here or there, or maybe a very fancy fruity cocktail, but not so much beer.
So we go to my bar across the street. We get greeted by everyone. Sweet. And we start on our one beer. Well that idea went totally out the window after the first lemon drop shot. It became a flurry of alcohols, and crude stories. I abandoned ET#2 with my gay closeted neighbor, and they were giggling away at stuff. My friend from down the street convinced us to karaoke with him. As you can see why things snowballed. At the karaoke bar, I was passed a number of shots called Leviticus (actually it is called vitytus, but it was a crazy night). Drinking leviticus was best described by the twenty year old barristo I know, "It is like having a million cinnamon hot bears doing a russian folk dance in your head." ET#2 and I proceeded to sing a number of duets and stumble home.
The next morning I remembered why I don't drink to excess. I wanted to poke my eyes out and rip out my stomach. ET#2 played it cool. She had on her shades both indoors and outside, and even managed some lip gloss. We both felt like this guy below except luckily both of us were too hungover to take pictures.
To cheer me up, Evil Twin #2 came down from NYC. And as always the events were epic. The whole weekend started out so innocent. Two girls getting crab cakes and going to bed at 11pm on a Friday night. Even the next day was fairly wholesome. ET#2 and I, went to the National Gallery of Art to see the Gauguin exhibit. Sure he was really pervy, but it was art right? We had lunch with friends, a trip to the Cowgirl Creamery. We even had a romantic stroll around the Tidal basin to see the Cherry blossoms. Yup. The whole weekend was going to be wholesome and very middle sized city American.
It all started down the dark dangerous path of liquor , when ET#2 and I started talking about feelings. Yes, that is right feelings. And in the midst of feelings, ET#2 said such a strange thing. "Let's go have a beer with your friends at the bar." Strange, because ET#2 is not really a beer drinker. Sure a glass of wine here or there, or maybe a very fancy fruity cocktail, but not so much beer.
So we go to my bar across the street. We get greeted by everyone. Sweet. And we start on our one beer. Well that idea went totally out the window after the first lemon drop shot. It became a flurry of alcohols, and crude stories. I abandoned ET#2 with my gay closeted neighbor, and they were giggling away at stuff. My friend from down the street convinced us to karaoke with him. As you can see why things snowballed. At the karaoke bar, I was passed a number of shots called Leviticus (actually it is called vitytus, but it was a crazy night). Drinking leviticus was best described by the twenty year old barristo I know, "It is like having a million cinnamon hot bears doing a russian folk dance in your head." ET#2 and I proceeded to sing a number of duets and stumble home.
The next morning I remembered why I don't drink to excess. I wanted to poke my eyes out and rip out my stomach. ET#2 played it cool. She had on her shades both indoors and outside, and even managed some lip gloss. We both felt like this guy below except luckily both of us were too hungover to take pictures.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Best news evah
It has often been said (by myself) that I am unruly, odd and loud, due to being the youngest child. My parents were older (close to my age now) when they had me. My sister who is 7 years older, often told stories about her parents, who seemed to not resemble mine at all. Her parents gave her shoulder rides, chased her around the yard, and had weekly zoo trips. Mine were more about Dad's napping because he has lumbego, quiet story time, and golf lessons.
A few years ago, I remember having a serious discussion with my sister. How to take care of our parents as they got older. It was one of those serious moments full of awkward pauses and awkward jokes to alleviate the tension of the moment. My parents' had living wills in place, my sister was planning on building a mother-in-law apartment in her house, and I took over some of my parent's accounts just to make sure nothing too crazy was happening. It was a very adult and somber moment in our lives.
A few years ago, my Dad was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. He had a long history of hypertension and 70 years after birth his kidneys decided they were tired. The physicians told us there was little that could be done. None one in his immediate family was a compatible match and he was a little too old to be on the top of any organ donor list. We were told he had about 5 years. Probably, the hardest hit was my mother. She was registered nurse before she retired and took over my dad's care. But it was exhausting, and she is no spring chicken. My sister and I tried to hire a part time nurse, but they would not have it. The whole thing was spiralling. I even thought about taking a job in California, just to monitor the situation. My sister with three kids of her own, was getting overwhelmed.
I flew home for the Christmas holidays my tradition over the past 21 years. As soon as I walked into my sister's house it was chaos, kids climbing on top of me, my parents asking me about my love life, my brother-in-law asking me about work. I'll admit, I was feeling a little Grinchy. After arriving to California at 11pm, My nieces and nephew woke me up Christmas morning at 5:30am. Yup, this Emo (aunt in korean) was one grumpy grumpster.
My dad was not much better. He also was woken up by jumping children. He could not eat my mom's chocolate b-day cake (too much phosphorus) and most importantly, he had not had a good bowel movement in two days because my youngest niece likes to follow him around and stand outside of the bathroom door saying "uh oh."
Anyway, the next morning my parents left pretty early in the morning. I decided to stay, my present to my sister being watching her kids for a few days. But we got this call about an hour later. "Dad, just got a kidney. We have to fly to Kansas City."
It was like all happy made more TV movies rolled up into one. We bought my parents a ticket to Kansas City, and my brother-in-law (BIL) and I drove up to my parents' house. My parents were all a flutter when we saw them. What were the chances of a 74 year old man getting a six point match for a kidney the day after Christmas? Who knows.
On the way to airport, my dad turned to my BIL and said "twenty years, no problem."
A few years ago, I remember having a serious discussion with my sister. How to take care of our parents as they got older. It was one of those serious moments full of awkward pauses and awkward jokes to alleviate the tension of the moment. My parents' had living wills in place, my sister was planning on building a mother-in-law apartment in her house, and I took over some of my parent's accounts just to make sure nothing too crazy was happening. It was a very adult and somber moment in our lives.
A few years ago, my Dad was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. He had a long history of hypertension and 70 years after birth his kidneys decided they were tired. The physicians told us there was little that could be done. None one in his immediate family was a compatible match and he was a little too old to be on the top of any organ donor list. We were told he had about 5 years. Probably, the hardest hit was my mother. She was registered nurse before she retired and took over my dad's care. But it was exhausting, and she is no spring chicken. My sister and I tried to hire a part time nurse, but they would not have it. The whole thing was spiralling. I even thought about taking a job in California, just to monitor the situation. My sister with three kids of her own, was getting overwhelmed.
I flew home for the Christmas holidays my tradition over the past 21 years. As soon as I walked into my sister's house it was chaos, kids climbing on top of me, my parents asking me about my love life, my brother-in-law asking me about work. I'll admit, I was feeling a little Grinchy. After arriving to California at 11pm, My nieces and nephew woke me up Christmas morning at 5:30am. Yup, this Emo (aunt in korean) was one grumpy grumpster.
My dad was not much better. He also was woken up by jumping children. He could not eat my mom's chocolate b-day cake (too much phosphorus) and most importantly, he had not had a good bowel movement in two days because my youngest niece likes to follow him around and stand outside of the bathroom door saying "uh oh."
Anyway, the next morning my parents left pretty early in the morning. I decided to stay, my present to my sister being watching her kids for a few days. But we got this call about an hour later. "Dad, just got a kidney. We have to fly to Kansas City."
It was like all happy made more TV movies rolled up into one. We bought my parents a ticket to Kansas City, and my brother-in-law (BIL) and I drove up to my parents' house. My parents were all a flutter when we saw them. What were the chances of a 74 year old man getting a six point match for a kidney the day after Christmas? Who knows.
On the way to airport, my dad turned to my BIL and said "twenty years, no problem."
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