this just in

well...not just in, but its still fresh.

Starting in Sept. I will be pursuing my Masters Degree in Sociology with a concentration in Urban Studies. I got accepted! I got accepted! whoo hoo.

Celebration at my house tonight. Don't forget the beer.

smile: it's friday

a not so grand picture of 1/2 of the kitchen. i swear it doesn't do the room justice!

Todays a blessed day! It's Friday and payday. And while over 1/2 of that money is going into much needed car repairs, I'm not flinching in the least bit. Why you ask? Because the remodeling of my main unit is completed!! My 3 bedroom, multiple weekend warrior project is fully remodeled, my heart is light, and I am ready to just burst with happiness. Now all I need is a renter. Hopefully, my posts to craigslist and my ad running in the local paper will draw a few prospects.


a glimpse of the front room of my remodeled apt.

its been a bad blogging week

I have been meaning to post, I really have...but when I finally get to my laptop, the feeling subsides. All the stories, thoughts, and ideas crowding my membrane just seem to float away to nothingness.

help...I cant put it down

I am so in love with this book right now, I think I just might kiss it. That is all...

tattoo a piece of peace on my hip

namaste
I have been thinking long and hard about getting a tattoo on my hip for years. I have always wanted one, but between being scared of needles and not feeling deeply enough about something to have it permanently affixed to my body, I have been extremely hesitant.

WELL, I think I have found IT! Here's the rough idea. Directly derived from my yoga practice, I want to get the phrase "Namaste" with a drawing of two hands connected in front of a heart tatted on my right hip.

For those who are clueless to my meaning: Nama" means bow, "as" means I, and "te" means you. Therefore, Namaste literally means "bow me to you" or "I bow to you." To perform Namaste, we place the hands together at the heart charka, close the eyes, and bow the head. It can also be done by placing the hands together in front of the third eye, bowing the head, and then bringing the hands down to the heart. This is an especially deep form of respect.

The gesture Namaste represents the belief that there is a Divine spark within each of us that is located in the heart chakra. Namaste...it describes my state of mind to others perfectly.

What do you think ?!

inspired reading

Just a note that there's a new tea cup wisdom quote up on the blog. Its a poetic and eye opening quote which made me re read it a few times just to absorb.

I found it in the wonderful yet heart-wrenching book by Luis Rodriguez titled "Hearts & Hands - Creating Communitiy in Violent Times". Mr. Rodriguez is also the author of the critically acclaimed book "Always Running: La Vida Loca", which was more autobiographical than the one I'm reading. As you can see, I have started reading "urban studies" based books in early preparation for getting into the masters degree state of mind.

maybe i was supposed to be a gay man ?

I always felt like the lord made a mistake by making me female, as I have always displayed more masculine characteristics. Even as a child, I was a tom boy, climbing trees and buildings, playing tag football, and being a bully to the local geeks and weirdos (an action I feel bad about from time to time, but that's not the subject of this post at all - so lets move on).

I have to say I do not have many (ok, ok ANY) female friends, with the few I did have, lost due to drama which I do not care to repeat. Stemming from childhood, I have always seemed to get along better with men vs. women too. I love to just hang out, have a few beers, and scream a few profanities at the screen along side them.

This masculinity rings true even in my appearance. I do not wear makeup AND despise wearing skirts (I tell my b.f. each time I wear a skirt or dress to take a picture of the momentous occasion, cuz he wont be seeing these legs in another one for a while).

Today is one of these rare occasions where I did wear a skirt and did put on makeup (oh my!!). When a co worker asked me why I don't dress like that more often, I coyly said "maybe I was supposed to be a gay man ?". I don't think she understood me... :)

My review of Blockbuster online

Blockbuster online really sucks!!

I decided to take the plunge and try Blockbuster online, after all there's that two week free trial they are offering. I figured, I spend about the same amount of money monthly just going to the local store by my house, so why not try out the online version and have it delivered to my doorstep instead? (the prospect of shopping in my p.j’s was also a plus...)

After building up and reorganizing my online Queue (a.k.a. wish list) from "readily available movies" to those which I had to wait for, I eagerly anticipated the arrival of my free movies like a fat kid egging for a piece of cake.

My review: SADLY, I HATED IT!!! It's now week two of the trial and I have only gotten 1 damn movie (which, consequently, was one of my least anticipated options). Every other movie on the top portion of my list was either lost in the mail, or mysteriously, lowered down on my Queue list no matter how much I tried to raise it. How frustrating (I probably gotten a gray hair or two just trying to get through customer service).

Netflix, on the other hand, wins hands down. Their premier service, which allows for 3 rentals at any given time, is 3 dollars more vs. that of Blockbuster online. BUT, after you pick a movie, it's usually delivered to your doorstep within 2 days for your viewing pleasure.

Trying to compare the two is like comparing an MP3 player to an 8 track. Blockbuster, unless it changes it's fundamental logistics, will be ancient news before they blink. As for me, I rather pay an extra 3 bucks to Netflix and have the movies I order shipped to me the next day, instead of waiting almost 2 weeks to get to my doorstep via blockbuster online.

random thoughts

This is the life. I am now enjoying a rare moment of solitude with no boyfriend and no dog. Yippie!! It's just me, my laptop, and my comfy pillow; surrounded by candle light and a fresh breeze coming in my windows.

Talking about time for myself, I have had a lot of time to read, and am currently reading 3 books right now simultaneously. Matter of fact, its not rare to see me walking down the street, open book in hand, on my way from the train to the office...or the car to the home. I do, from time to time, look up to make sure I am not straying from my intended path, especially at intersections and such. It must be a strange sight because people just seem to stare and stare. Oh well

One of the great things about living in Chicago is the fact that it is one of the only cities around with 4 clearly defined seasons, which really make you savor them. That being said, at the beginning of each season, I think to myself "XY season is my favorite season of the year." In the spring, I am awe inspired by the sprouting leaves of trees, the freshness of the air, the cleaning properties of spring rain. In the summer, I indulge in the outdoors: looking forward to the many family cook outs, getting that wonderful tan, and just plain enjoying the warmth of the sun. In the fall, I lose myself in the rich brown, red, and green colors all around, the crisp air, and of course, my birthday. Last but certainly not least, in the winter, I take in the beauty of a city covered in all white, the joy I get when making a snow angel or riding down the slopes on a snowboard, and most importantly, partaking in the cuddling of my honey under the blankets. Today, I am thinking...spring is the most beautiful season of the year. It’s warm, but not too warm, breezy, but not windy. Utter perfection to me...

i smile a smile only bustelo could offer

There’s nothing like a huge thermo filled with my favorite Cuban/Puerto Rican espresso: Cafe Bustelo, to start the day. Or as mi abuelita used to call it: cafe con leche.

love in a can...

For those who are Bustelo virgins, it’s taste is (oh so) smooth, it packs a punch of caffeine into your bloodstream, and afterwards, (no matter how grumpy you were beforehand), you have a smile plastered on your face and are ready to face the day like a soldier. ahhhh, hello world and happy Friday to all!!

today feels like a friday

Due to this fact, I know I will wake up feeling cranky and cheated when I have to head to work tomorrow.

workflows of the bored and fabulous

It’s funny how we start each new job off excited to be there; excited to learn/build on new skills, absorb new experiences, and expand your horizons. After all, it feels good to be moving up the food chain in terms of $$ and responsibilities.

I call this the honeymoon phase.

Then, about 8 months to a year down the line, you are sitting at your desk at 11 in the morning on a beautiful sunny day, bored out of your mind, crawling up your cube walls, and already finished with all the mind numbing monotonous crap they call work sitting on your desk.

I call this hell.

This is my life. I either learn at an extreme rapid rate or have an extremely low attention span (maybe Adult ADD?) because I tire of jobs so fast. I’m always looking for that next challenge, that next hill to conquer. However, all I ever seem to find is places where I am left to just master my job and then…nothing.

This phase is the most dangerous, as I am left to my own destructive devices of ebaying, researching whatever crosses my mind, reading, chatting, and blogging. All activities which can get me potentially fired if the asshole boss peeps me…opps…gotta go.

God I need to find something more challenging…either that or get a damn promotion

broken thoughts of my life..

with all the deaths going in the world, I find myself more & more often retreating into meditation...mostly doing chakra cleansing.

"Puerto Rican booty" was the highest keyword for finding my blog. Damn perverts!!

I'm not really into war movies, but Korean madeTae Guk Gi - Brotherhood of War really mesmerized me.

It's so beautiful in Chicago; it was almost 70 today, with a nice breeze. I have all my windows open and am happy to be alive and healthy.