New York Bound

We are headed to New York today. I so hate packing. I always tell myself that I am only going for a few days, but when I finish packing it looks like I am moving there. I wish I could just put everything in a backpack and go. Do I really need to take four pairs of shoes?!

Anyway, while in NY we plan to see Wicked, again, walk through Central Park, and go to the museums. It should be fun. I will have some pics soon.

Much Love.

Back Yard Project - Day 5 It's Party Time

Yippie for us!! We actually finished a project on time, if we could only translate that to other aspect of our lives we would be awesome.

Back Yard Project - Day 4 Finishing Touches and Decorating

Back Yard Project - Day 3 Sand and Pavers

Back Yard Project - Day 2 Compressor

The compressor day went something like this…

JR – “Hey we need a compressor”
Chica – “Ok”
We go to the rental place and pick one up. The thing weighs a million pounds. JR is having a hard time controlling the thing and all the Paver Base is coming up.
Chica – “I don’t thing you are doing it right. I don’t think you are supposed to be going backwards with it”
JR – “Here, you do it”
Chica – “What?! I thought you had used one of these before, I mean you knew the name of the machine!!!”
JR pulls one of the empty Paver Base bags and reads me the instructions.
JR – “This is where I got the name from”
Chica – “F*%K, ok, we are going to have to research this one”

The Worst Kind of Procrastinators

JR and I are the worst kind of procrastinators. We think of doing everything else except what really needs to be done.

We both have our plates full, and I don’t mean a dieter’s plate, I mean, the buffet is about to close, lets hurry up and get our food, lets pile it on, type of plates. JR has brought up the idea of going to one of those time management seminars where they teach you to how to effectively use your time, but we keep putting that off.

Take this example…I have a business that needs to be worked on really, really bad. JR has been helping me, but with work (he has been out of town lots and I have been super busy with my job), the kids, the house (what little we do clean it), and some sort of social life, the business keeps getting put on the back burner. Understandable I say.

Anyway, on Saturday JR says, hey, I think I am getting a grill. I say ok! Let’s go look. While at the store I find a book on patio design ideas and think it would be cool to have something to put the grill on. I keep looking and find these really cool pavers, without thinking about it we embark on a house project. I really do not let JR touch the house, I have succumbed to idea that any job should be left to the professionals, but think that, a. this seems like a simple project, b. it is outside, and c. it is not even touching the house too much. So, I am comfortable with doing the job ourselves.
How does the line go? “And thus began our treacherous journey”.

The project is supposed to be finished by Friday, so I will keep you guys posted. There are 101 I should be doing instead, but like I said we are expert procrastinators.

Shakira - Houston Bound

I swear this is the first time that belonging to a fan club has paid out.

I was listening to the radio and they were advertising Shakira’s concert in Houston on Sept. 19th. I first I thought, hey, it would be nice to go. The commercial then said that the tickets go on sale this Saturday at the Toyota Center Box Office at 10am. Then I thought, you know what, I am a little too old for that.

I remember the days when I would stand up in line and wait for hours to buy tickets to a concert…Depeche Mode comes to mind (I was at Music For The Masses and it was awesome, but that its another story). Later I established a connection with Lou Walton – The Panther of Lover, from 93Q, do any of you remember when it wasn’t a country radio station? Anyway, we would trade tickets. I have been to a lot of concerts in my life, but I have not been to one in ages. I guess I am a little pickier now days.

Back to Shakira, I have been a Shakira fan since 1995 when “Pies Descalzos” came out. Anyway, I was thinking that it would be nice to go, but did not want to deal with that whole buying ticket mess. Now get this…this is where it gets good, so pay attention…I get home check my email and there is a message from the Shakira Fan Club telling me that I can pre-buy tickets for the concert. I was like, I am so there. I clicked and clacked and a few minutes later I was the proud owner of four seats to the event. It was meant to be.

Ok, so if you are a fan, only fans, no scammers or resellers, go to Shakira.com and follow the instructions and get your own, before going on sale, awesome, no getting up early on Saturday and standing in line, super cool, concert tickets.

See you guys at the show.

Shopping

I am finally getting back on the swing of buying me stuff, yes, the baby weight (can it still be called baby weight?) has not come off yet, but I can not live my life waiting for the day that it does, if it ever.

I have been having fun going out and shopping for myself. I am still having a hard time trying the stuff at the store – florescent lighting does not help the self-esteem (how about some semi dark, soft lighting, just like those touched up photographs? That store would sell millions!! My idea and you guys heard it here first), so I take the clothes home and try them on there. Lately I have been doing all my shopping at White House/Black Market. They have trendy styles without being hootchie, plus they have an awesome sale section.

What about your feet? You ask. Well, I have bought me three pairs of shoes. Yippie for me. The first pair I bought was a BCBG. Super cute and four inches high!! Yeah, I love shoes that make me feel tall. This is a, I am going out on the town pair, not for endless walks or standing too long.



The next pair is Coach and I can not seem to find a pic of it anywhere, I know it is a 2006, but can not find the pic. The style is called Tyra II and it a basic black two inch wedge shoe. This pair is perfect for walking and doing everyday stuff.

The last pair is also by Coach (Coach means today, trendy, and when you are done you can sell them on eBay and get some of your money back!). I just loved this pair of shoes. They are so, so cute. They are 4.5 inches high, but they are super light and have a rubbery sole. They are good for going out or running errands. And of course, I had to get the wristlet that went with them.






Well, that is it for my shopping. I so much more enjoy buying shoes than clothes; my feet are the only part of my body that has reverted to my pre pregnancy state. Way to go feet!! Good Job. Baby steps, baby steps.

The Weekend and TV

I must blog, I just realized that I have not blogged since last Friday, that is just too long.

I guess I can update you guys on my going-ons…
On Friday, my friend Chris (Internet Curios) had his going away party, no, he is not leaving town he is just changing jobs. We meet over at El Tiempo on Washington, we were joined by friends and other bloggers, including Greg from Dissonance.



My friend Phil from the Chronicle (he is the one on the right) was also there by himself!! He is on the market and on the prowl, so if any of you ladies are interested email me for full details.

After El Tiempo we headed over to The Social. Man, I have been two nights this month alone and I don’t even go out that much.

On Saturday, Baby Girl had a birthday party so headed to my mom’s house (the party was for one of her little neighbors) and spent the afternoon there, just hanging.

On Sunday, JR and Baby Girl headed to the Houston Shell Open. I stayed at home with the Sequel and watched some needed TV. I watched Elizabeth I – first episode, a mini series by HBO. I really like the lady that plays the queen. She is so intense.

I also watched God or the Girl on A&E. I have watched the show before and found it interesting. The show is pretty much about a group of guys that have to choose between becoming priest/celibate or getting married and having a family. You get to follow the guys as they date, stop dating and start their “single for a season” – a season can last 6 months to 3 years plus, how they raise money, or have no money at all, all the way until they reach their big decision – becoming a priest or having a family. Interesting.

Tonight I will watch Big Love on HBO. I am hooked. I really like the story, the plot, and think the characters are well developed. Thumbs up!

Houston Bound

I am finally on my way home. It has been a LONG week.

Kerrville is nice, it is located in the Hill Country very close to Fredericksburg. There are a lot of hills and winding roads, driving was fun. Downtown Kerrville is filled with unique shops, antique shops, and boutiques. In the new and used bookstore I found some 1st edition Golden Books and a Commemorative Wizard of Oz book (have I mentioned that the whole family is going to New York in a few weeks and that we will be seeing Wicked again?).

Work went horribly. The company I was working for hired another company to take care of our side of the business. So, I not only had to deal with the company itself, but also with the other middle guy. This guy, lets call him Dork, reminded me of Michael, boss guy, of The Office! I had the same feeling dealing with Dork as I do seeing the show – you really think the guy an idiot, but somehow feel sorry for him. Ok, get this; we were working with this guy named Bernie and all of the sudden he starts making references to the movie Weekend at Bernie’s. WTF. He would say “woo, hoo, Weekend at Bernie’s, yeah!”

Anyway, long story short, I actually had to work or pretend to work since I was in front of the client…I just hate that.

Oh, yeah, another thing, everyone at the office was on a diet. They were all eating raw carrots and broccoli and of course I was sitting there eating my huge brisket sandwich with chips and a soda. Wait, that is not all, the office manager was actually reading other peoples nutritional values as they ate. Needless to say, I ate at my desk after that.

I am so glad the week is over. I NEED a drink, but that will have to wait till next Friday. Today I am spending quality time with the kids.

My Weekend – The Bad, The Good, and The Ugly

On Saturday we got up at 7:30 in the morning because Baby Girl had her last soccer game of the season and, of course, we did not want to be late. Since it was her last game a party at the park was to follow and she was super excited. Well, the excitement was short lived; she woke up in a bad mood and did not want to go to the game. We finally convinced her to go, but then she did not want to wear her uniform. We finally got the uniform on, but she did not want to wear her soccer socks, well, I found her some other ones. We got to the game and her team was wearing BLACK, BG was wearing RED (there was a mix-up in the email), she freaked some more. The coach had an extra shirt, but she refused to wear it. She did not play the whole game and we end up leaving before the game ended. There was no way she was going to that party! I am just glad that was the last game.

Saturday night we made plans to go out to eat with my Sorority Sister and special friend Lenny; she now lives in Tucson, AZ. and was on her way back home from pulling over 400 teeth in El Salvador. We meet over at RA Sushi - restaurant, bar, and current hot spot - in Highland Village on Westheimer. The food was ok, but the ambiance was awesome. I highly recommend it. If it wasn’t a small world already, my sister, her boyfriend, and Chloe Dao - of Project Runway fame, were also there having dinner. I could not believe I forgot my camera at home!! Darn it!! After Dinner we headed over to The Social. Saturday is Latin night so there were playing some awesome dance tunes.

We got up early on Sunday...AGAIN, because Baby Girl had a birthday party at 9:30 am, yes, in the morning.

On Sunday afternoon I had to get my stuff ready to go out of town for work. I hate that!! I hate having to say goodbye to the kids. I always tell Baby Girl that if anything happens to me she should know that I always loved her. I also tell her to be nice to her brother and to tell him about me every day – I am tearing up writing this. I HATE leaving them.

The airport is pretty dead when I get there. I find a parking space without even looking for one. Yippie! I check in on gate C for my flight to San Antonio and notice that I am leaving out of gate E24, a good five mile walk from the check-in station. Crap, I guess I WILL be getting in my exercise for the day. I swear, you can not get any further away on the airport than gate E20, ok, E19 is a little further, but that is it. The only light at the end of the tunnel is the Auntie Anne’s Pretzel shop that is 2/3rds of the way there; this trip might be salvageable after all.

Phone Pic

Phone Pic.

Awesome day for kite flying.

Immigration

United States was founded by immigrants. The fact that people have chosen to forget that, well, that is another issue. Immigrants have always been the backbone of our society.

American companies are moving their factories overseas because of the cheaper labor rates. Manual minimum wage jobs in the US are disappearing and instead of the workers getting angry and protesting against the big companies that left they are pointing fingers and blaming the "illegals" for not being able to find jobs.

People come to the US from ALL over the world (not just Hispanic Countries like most people think, I have actually spoken to plenty of Russian immigrants up in Minnesota) to find a better life for their families. The United States is a country of hope. A country where if you work hard there is nothing you can’t be.

I do believe that the United States needs to choose its citizens carefully. There needs to be tougher ways to become a Citizen - Thorough background checks need to be made, ALL government agencies need to be able to talk to one another and share information; and a probation period needs to be implemented before a person is granted citizenships. Also, there should be background checks on any person requesting any kind of Visa into the United States.

Illegals are getting such a bad rap and that does not surprise me. Immigrants have always been the scapegoat. They are being talked about, pointed at and blamed for what is going on here in America, but this is all a side effect of an underlying issue. We need to find the true cause and try to fix it - whether is retraining our workforce to do different kinds of jobs, keeping large manufacturing companies from seeking cheaper and cheaper labor overseas, or coming up with a “Taking Jobs Overseas Tax” and heavily taxing imports that are made in the cheaper countries.

The US is a country of hard workers, a melting pot, that was I was told in school, different people, from different countries coming together to make this the greatest country in the world. There are problems that need to be fixed, but taking it out on people that believe in the American dream is just plain wrong.

Phone Blogging

Phone Blogging.

Weird. I guess some people really do every thing together. Or maybe they have a lot of conjoined customers.

Update - This picture was taken at a Whataburger on Gessner, in Houston, Texas.

Consumers Take Action!

I think that there should be a consumer agreement. A way for the consumers to protect ourselves in case a company drops the ball after we have signed a multi-year service agreement.

A bought a $499 Sprint camera phone because I wanted to be able to do some picture blogging, but I have only been able to actually post a handful because “There is a problem with the network, please retry later”. It seems that if it is not the right time of day, it is cloudy, the phone is not pointed to the right constellation, or if I do not press the keys just so, the message will never be sent.

That is not the only issue. The other issue is that I have still to receive my $150 rebate check from Sprint. According to them the paperwork was never received (the paperwork was sent). I bought a phone and signed up for a 2 year agreement. It seems that after three months of paid service they would just send me a check, after all they know where I live – I have no problem receiving their bills. It is not like a bought an item at the grocery store and I need to fill out the paperwork to tell them where I live. A bought a phone, I signed up for a 2 year agreement, I have paid my bills, where is my money??

I have been a Sprint customer for almost 7 years!!! I have paid over $100 a month for the past 7 years and the have a problem sending me $150!!!! That is just BAD customer service. When I called to inquire about my check I was told that no, I would be receiving one. After I complained I was told that there was nothing they could do. I have tried escalating the issue, but I have not heard back from anyone. At this point in time I do not care who gives me my $150. Do I need the money? No, but it is the principle – a company can not advertise and promise something that they do not plan on fulfilling.

This is not the only issue I have had with a company. At first we were overpaying our DSL company. SBC had upgraded their service and we were still paying the old rates (a lot of money for slow speed), after we signed up for a new and improved service (a lot of money for super high speed) and had the service for about a minute, we noticed that it was going off and on. We kept calling and calling SBC, but it was always our issue. Finally, we were told that our wiring could not support super high speed and that there was nothing they could do.

Keeping up with these companies, looking closely at the bills, calling when something is wrong, and filling out paperwork takes time. A lot of us barely have the time to keep up with our families much less the phone bill. I think that is exactly what these companies want – to take advantage of us, to take our money when we are not looking. There has to be a way for the consumers to protect themselves, a basic agreement that every company needs to comply with if they want to provide service, it needs to be a two way street.

Religion and Me

I am not religious at all. I believe in being spiritual, but have no faith in religion.

I was raised Catholic, I was baptized and did my First Communion. My family went to church, but looking back I think that in Hispanic countries religion is part of the culture. People just go through the motions because that is what everyone else does without making waves. If you ask questions the response is always the same – because that is just the way it is.

When we moved to the States we attended church during the major events – mostly for Easter. As we grew up we moved from church to church. I don’t know exactly why, I guess my mom had made a new friend and they wanted to convert us, anyway, I have been Episcopalian, and Baptist. When I turned 18 I decided to go back to the Catholic faith. I attended church religiously and usually by myself since my mother had long ago given up trying to show my sister and me the way.

By my 20th birthday I was calling myself Agnostic, and by my 21st I was an Atheist. Now I say – Why can’t we just get along! Six years ago I started collecting religious Gods/figures/books and started a shrine dedicated to all world religions. I have the Quran, a Bible, the Book of Mormon, several Buddha’s, Hindu Gods, candles, and charms. I used to have then all out, JR would say that some would feel offended by the display and I would say that, well, it was my house. The items are now in a box in the garage along with 10 other boxes we never opened after we moved to Houston.

The reason that I am sharing this info is because I live in The Woodlands and up here people wear Jesus on their sleeve. There is not one place where it does not come up. Women even practice the Rhythm Method!!! I have heard “Is that what Jesus would do?” uttered one too many times. And people actually sign their emails with a religious saying or a religious website.

Yesterday, Baby Girl had dinner at a friend’s house. When it came time for Grace they told BG that since she was the guest she was to lead. She declined. When I picked her up I was told what had happened and was asked if I went to church. I am just glad she has other friends since we might not be hearing back from this one. Today I asked Baby Girl about what happened at Grace. She looked at me and said “Who is Grace?”

I need help. I am afraid for my children; I do not want them to be labeled as “those are the kids of the heathens”. I have started talking to her about different religions, but she is only 4 and do not know how much she is actually getting. Is anyone out there facing the same issue and how are you handling it?

My Last "American Idol" Post

I am so upset right now. I can not believe that Kevin is out! I knew he was not going to win, but I thought he would have lasted longer. I can not believe that Bucky is still in it. Ughhh. I am just pissed. I am not making my bottom picks any more. I am just mad.

"American Idol" Pics

Ok, guys, it is getting harder and harder to pick, but here you are, my bottom three.



Comments on the show - What is up with Kellie? I don't know if she is nervous or what, but she looks uncomfortable on stage. And what is up with that makeup? Ok, ok, I do think there IS something wrong with my speakers because Ace sounds like crap, but everyone else likes him, so I guess it is my equipment. Simon was pretty funny this week.

St. Patrick's Day

May you always have
Walls for the winds,
A roof for the rain,
Tea beside the fire,
Laughter to cheer you,
Those you love near you,
And all your heart might desire!

Scientology VS South Park

"So, Scientology, you may have won THIS battle, but the million-year war for earth has just begun! Temporarily anozinizing our episode will NOT stop us from keeping Thetans forever trapped in your pitiful man-bodies. Curses and drat! You have obstructed us for now, but your feeble bit do save humanity will fail! Hail Xenu!!! [Signed,] Trey Parker and Matt Stone, servants of the dark lord Xenu." - This was on the press released issued by the creators of South Park.

The South Park show where Scientology is "explained" was supposed re-run tonight, but the showing has been cancelled because 1. Issac Hayes (Chef) has threatened to quit or 2. Tom Cruise has said that he will not do any promotion for the movie Mission Impossible 3 (both owned by the same parent company).

I found two interesting links on the issue 1 and 2.

I don’t know why the church of Scientology gets so bend-out-of-shape when “negative” things are aired…well, maybe the truth does hurt. Just imagine if the Catholic religion had powerful Hollywood people behind it, I guess there would be no more tv for us to enjoy.