For the Teabag in All of Us

Not that kind of teabag. Don't be gross.

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Location: South Florida, United States

If I go about this properly, the blog will (eventually) explain enough about me, so let me just explain the blog, or at least the title of it, here:

"A woman is like a teabag. You never know how strong she is until you put her in hot water."
--Eleanor Roosevelt

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Tease

That's what Ernesto turned out to be... a total tease. Last week, he looked like a big bunch of nothingtoworryabout... then all of a sudden on Monday he was headed for us and expected to strengthen into a Cat 1. We all brought our patio furniture inside and made sure we had tanks full of gas and freezers full of ice and lots of bottled water and batteries... and then? Nothin.


Admittedly, that image does not show the storm over Florida ... looks more like somehwere around Hispaniola. But it does look pretty scary, doesn't it? When he finally made landfall in Florida, he looked a bit more like this:

And then he just proceeded to get weaker and weaker. There was wind, there was rain, and there's still quite a bit of cloud cover ...but all in all, Ernesto was a big old tease.

Several good things have come of this:

  • I get to stay home and work in my pajamas
  • I get to blog under the guise of staying home and working in my pajamas
  • I don't have to eat Chulo's SPAM

Now, let's hope that's the last of the tropical storms/hurricanes for this season. I know that's unreasonable... but let's face it: if a man can be a tease, then a woman can suspend reality and be unreasonable. If only just this once.

Saturday, August 26, 2006

Tag Time

Terry tagged me with this meme umm... well quite some time ago, actually. Let's not labour on how long ago it was and instead get on with the meme, shall we?

2 moments in your life you'd like to erase
Do they have to be moments? I mean I've done some things that I might like to erase, but I'm not sure I can pinpoint a precise moment at which I said or did something that set those events in motion. So hmmm....okay.
*Meeting my ex. I had all sorts of warning bells going off in my head and I knew he was too immature and full of dreams that he didn't have the means to fulfill, but he was sweet and I was so tired of dead-end dating. Disastrous results.
*The moment mom told me she had breast cancer

4 moments you'd like to relive:
*Key West with Chulo
*Finding out I'd passed the bar exam
*When my sister came home for the first time, but I'd like to relive it as an older version of me so I could appreciate it more
*Celebrating Las Fallas in Valencia on the eve of spring ... but this time, preferably with no late-night notice that my country was at war

2 places you wouldn't want to go to/go to again:
*Staten Island -- ew
*Key West -- it was so perfect the first time, that I think I can never go back again for fear that it wouldn't be just as I remembered it.

4 places you can't wait to visit/visit again

*London

*Spain -- but next time I want to explore the whole country. I never got to Madrid, Toledo, or the Andaluz region. DYING to go there.

*India

*A western carribbean cruise. Really any cruise, but if I get to pick, I'd like the western Carribbean, please. And not during hurricane season. And I'd like a room with a balcony. Thanks!

Uhh sorry -- I just tried to do bullets and it messed up the whole flow of that section -- forgive the weird interruption

2 foods you can't stand:
*Cauliflower
*Okra

4 foods you love:
*Ice Cream
*Stuffed grape leaves
*Roasted vegetables
*Chocolate

2 current songs that make you change the station:
*that annoying Rhianna song
*the entirely overplayed Panic at the Disco song. Let it be known that I love that CD but I am just SO SICK of that song being played on endless rotation.

4 current songs you play over and over:
this is a combo of radio and CD... the radio ones are ones I WOULD play over and over if I had the CD, but I don't
*Valio la Pena (Marc Anthony) -- CD
*Over My Head (the Fray) -- radio
*Embarrassing, yes... but that song by Nick Lachey... Take What's Left (not sure what it's called?) -- radio
*Do Ya Want To? (Franz Ferdinand) -- CD

2 books you'd never finish/read again:
*Most non-fiction
*The Dictionary of Failed Relationships -- to her credit, Nat warned me that this book was awful. Oh my God it's AWFUL

4 books you have read more than once, and/or will read again:
*The Eight, Katherine Neville
*One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
*The God of Small Things, Arundhati Roy
*Probably anything by Naguib Mahfouz

Tag 2-4 people:
Uhh... geez, who hasn't done this tag yet? I'll take a risk and tag
*Sass
*Cressida

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Goodbyes

No no, no worries... I'm not saying goodbye to blogger... although I am leaving for that conference tomorrow morning... But I have some goodbyes that I need to say and, for different reasons, I can't say them directly to the people for whom they're meant. I know I'm overdue for a post and I've had this one brewing in my head for several days now, but it's just so damn BUSY around here! So I will try to do these goodbyes the justice they deserve while keeping this post short as it's late and I have yet to finish packing. And I will do Terry's meme next week-ish. Promise!

Goodbye Joanna.
We knew this was coming for quite some time now, but it's still a shock to accept the reality of it. Joanna was my friend Julie's sister, and she was diagnosed with lung cancer -- stage 4 -- about 14 months ago. I only knew her through Julie, but we'd hung out several times over the years... less frequently since she got sick. She really rocked that elfin short haircut that so many women sport after chemo. I mean she made it look GOOD. The last time I saw her, I cooked for her -- one of my specialties. Not sure I will ever be able to make that dish again without thinking of her.

The memorial service was at Julie's parents' house on Sunday afternoon, and it was very painful. Not only did her parents bury a child (she was 38), but her children buried a parent. They were all so strong, and the girls, who are 15 and 9, looked beautiful. I can't imagine what they're going through.

Jo, if I'd known it would be the last time I'd see you, I would have given you a hug.

Goodbye Ian.
I loved you and counted on you and thoroughly enjoyed our friendship, our conversations, and our music. I wish it didn't have to be this way. I wish you'd been more open with me about your feelings. I don't mean to say that doing so would have changed anything -- now or at any time -- but still I wish I'd known. In fact, even today, I wish I knew what it is that you feel. But perhaps it's moot, because things are what they are, and I do not want to put myself in that position again. Like we always said, if things were different... well, they're not. They probably never will be. And I'm sorry that suddenly means something different than it used to, or maybe it always meant one thing to you but you never told me. I do not know, but I have to respect your wishes, senseless as they may seem to me.

You left in a haze of beer and apology and you will be missed. Please know that my heart is open to you any time you want to talk. We'll always have Franz, Keane and the Arctic Monkeys. Oh and PS, I never told you, but I've always thought of Bend & Break as "our" song.

And now, little bloggers, I'm off to bed. No goodbyes, just goodnight. :o)

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Meme I stole from Nat

...who stole it from Dzer, who stole it from someone else, who probably stole it as well... and I don't know why she swallowed that flyyyyy....

....I guess I'll just go on with the meme!

1. My roommate and I once: pretended to be married just to get past this condo board for an apartment we both loved (former roommate of course)

2. Never in my life have I: punched anyone or had a fistfight

3. The one person who can drive me nuts, but then can always manage to make me smile is: probably Nat

4. High school was: too long ago for me to remember.

5. When I'm nervous: I bite my nails

6. The last time I cried was: ok don’t laugh. I cried at the end of the movie The Ringer last night. I know, I’m lame

7. If I were to get married right now, my bridesmaids/groomsmen would be: happy I wouldn’t make them wear rose-coloured ruffles

8. Would you rather run naked through a crowded place or have someone e-mail your deepest secret to all your friends? I’ll go with the email, since I don’t know what my deepest secret is, and I’d like to find out

9. My hair: rocks. Except when it’s curly.

10. When I was 5: my sister was born and we had an orange occasional chair in my house. I know this because I was photographed holding her on the day she came home from the hospital, sitting in that chair.

11. Last Christmas: was fairly miserable, having been broken up with 2 weeks prior by the jerk I was dating, and having had to make emergency travel plans to spend it with my parents when I had made alternate plans.

12. When I turn my head left: I notice that my darling Chulo has vaccuumed the dust off the slats in the a/c room door

13. I should be: exercising and/or cleaning out the fridge

14. When I look down I see: a pink stain on my sweater. God knows where that came from

15. The craziest recent event was: listening to the training tapes from the NY office brokers. What a disaster. Folks, do not buy stocks from cold callers! Just don't!

16. If I were a character on "Friends" I'd be: the fat one

17. By this time next year: my home may have blown away by a hurricane.

18. My favorite aunt is: I’m not particularly close to any of my aunts, but I call my godmother “Aunt Jan” so I guess she can be my favourite.

19. I have a hard time understanding: complicated financial principles

20. One time at a family gathering: oh God. I’m not doing the "this one time! at band camp!" thing.

21. You know I like you if: I actually listen when you speak

22. If I won an award, the first person (people) I'd thank: would depend on what kind of award it was

23. Take my advice: yeah, take it. It’s usually really good.

24. My ideal breakfast is: constantly changing. These days I’m into homemade peanut butter elvis shakes (thank you, Planet Smoothie). It’s a chocolate malt carnation instant breakfast, a cup of skim milk, a banana and ½ T of peanut butter.

25. If you visit my home town: you might get robbed.

26. Sometime soon I plan to visit: everywhere.

27. If you spend the night at my house: You will sleep in a comfy bed with lots of pillows and I will make you french toast and fruit salad in the morning.

28. I’d stop my wedding if: my parents weren’t there.

29. The world could do without: stupid people.

30. I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: I’m so sorry, but that is something I will never do, so there’s no point in talking relatives.

31. The most recent thing I'’ve bought myself is: Uhh.. lunch

32. The most recent thing someone else bought for me is: Flowers.

33. My favorite blonde is: Umm. This IS a dumb question. I’m not sure I even know any blondes.

34. My favorite brunette is: This is also a dumb question. I’m skipping all the remaining dumb questions.

35. My car must have a sign on it that reads: “Go ahead, jump into my lane way before it’s safe to do so. I’m really a figment of your imagination. No white Camry here!”

36. The last time I was drunk: Ummmm not sure. Possibly my housewarming party after buying this place. Seems like a very long time ago but I can’t remember anything more recent

37. The animals I would like to see flying besides birds: Skip!

38. I shouldn't have been: peeking in my parents' closet that one time.

39. Have you ever shaved your pubic hair? Ever? I shaved it on Monday night

40. Last night I: worked late, made sandwiches for dinner, and watched The Ringer.

41. There's this girl I know who: has the dubious distinction of being named Vegina. Yes, people.

42: I don't know: so many things

43. A better name for me would be: something more unique and more professional-sounding than “Jennifer” – maybe like Margaret or Ursula or Judith or whatever

44. If I ever go back to school I'll: have myself euthenised

45. How many days until my birthday?: I’m not counting the days. I’d prefer to count backwards to my last birthday, thanks.

46. One dead celebrity I wish I'd met is: I’m really bad at the alive/dead celebrity game.

47. I've lived at my current address since: Ohh no, you're not getting me with this one, Big Brother!!

48. I've been told I look like: my father.

49. If I could have any car, it would be: the new Touareg, but it’s too gas-chuggly for me. I tried to test-drive the hybrid Camry but the very pathetic salesman could not find the keys to the ONE model they had on the sales floor. Oh well, no new car for Jmai.

50. If I got a new cat tomorrow, I would name it: I’ve already done the cat experiment this year, with dismal results. So this question is moot – skip!

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Do you yahoo?

I used to yahoo. Then I downloaded the new version of yahoo messenger. And now I don't know what the HELL is going on.

I can't figure out how to send IMs. I can't figure out how to shrink the window and close the annoying bottom part of the window that I never use. I can't figure out why it keeps opening up this Yahoo 360 page which I find useless and confusing. And finally, I cannot understand why it keeps showing me some name that I do not know as if this person is a friend of mine. I have a sneaking suspicion that it IS someone who's already on my list but of course I can't figure out how to email the old or the new contact to ask!

Normally I'm very open to change, and even as I deny it, I'm fairly hip to technology if I give it a little bit of thought. But right now, I'd like my old yahoo back.

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