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

Sunday, October 29, 2006

Lazy Weekend

I can't remember the last time I had one of these lazy weekends. You know, the kind where you wake up late, laze around, do some chores, laze some more, catch up with people on the phone, and just generally relax? It's so nice.

Of course I've done about 947 loads of laundry this morning, but that's par for the course. I swear I am forever doing laundry.

I really need this weekend right now, too... it's been a crazy week, and it looks like another crazy one coming up. I really have not had a spare moment to post, comment or even read blogs. I had 42 new emails when I logged on to yahoo this morning. It's like I don't even want to look at a computer screen since I spend my whole day sitting front of one at work. But also, it's been such an exhausting week and I just haven't had much time to blog or check email, etc. By the time I get home and we have some dinner, I just want to spend a little time talking and cuddling with Chulo. We're both so stressed out.

But enough of the whining. We're all busy.

...

So back to the lazy weekend. I actually left work at FIVE O'CLOCK on the button yesterday. Which wound up not being my brightest idea because my plan, at 5pm, was to run down to Hollywood and surprise Chulo at work, pester him to close the shop just a weeeeeee bit early and then hit the town. Of course I had Friday afternoon traffic and he was already closing up by the time I got there. But we still hit the town... had dinner and drinks at the Hard Rock Casino, where we also lost a bill each. Mine's par for the course but Chulo usually wins. Lucky bastard. Then we went to see the Prestige which was pretty good although the ending was upsetting. And now I'm just enjoying my Saturday at home. It's grey out and I'm still in my jammies, and I can't remember the last time that happened this late on a Saturday. Mmmm.

Then again, last weekend was so lovely too. And still quite relaxing, even though we travelled... Chulo hinted about 2 weeks earlier that we'd be going away, but I didn't know where to. All I knew was that it wasn't Orlando... or at least that if it was, it wasn't to visit family. On Thursday night I finally got him to tell me (since I needed to know what to pack!) ... we were driving down to this pretty spot that he fell in love with on our drive home from Key West a couple of months ago. He'd rented this sweet little oceanfront cottage in Grassy Key. I'm so glad we showed up at night, because in the light of day, the place looks like a little blue shack from the outside! But it was cute inside ... kind of like a studio, with the bed and bathroom up a few steps from the kitchen/living room. It took us until late Saturday morning to realise that the bathroom did indeed have a door (it's one of those hidden doors that slides into the wall when not in use), so Friday night and Sat morning we kept banishing each other to the living room or even outside if we had to use the bathroom. We felt pretty stupid (or at least I did) when Chulo noticed the hidden door. What do they call those doors? I'm sure it has a name, like a Murphy or a trundle bed and such.

Anyway, it was really nice. The weather was beautiful, ans we were literally steps from the ocean so there were balmy breezes galore. We had a little grill outside. We're not allowed to keep a grill at home -- local ordinance -- so we got all excited about that and bought way too much food, so we invited his coworker and his wife (the coworke's wife, not Chulo's!) over to eat with us. They have a little trailer in Key Largo, about 40 miles north. There was so much food that we had enough left over for the next day, so we stopped up to see them and have lunch on the way back.

Mostly we did lovely little Florida Keys things, like sit in the sun (there was a hammock but everyone fell off it, stupid hammock!) and visit goofy little tourist shops along the ride home. If you've never been to the Keys, or even if you have, but you don't live in Florida -- there is only one road, from southwest Miami allllll the way down to Key West, which is probably about 120 miles or so, and that's US 1. Or Federal Highway or Overseas Highway, or whatever you want to call it. But that's all there is, with the ocean to the east and the Gulf of Mexico to the west, and it's ... I don't know, it's its own little universe. So visiting all the roadside curiosities is half the fun of getting there (or getting back).

...

Ok so now its Sunday night and it feels like anything but a lazy weekend. We went to the Ft. Lauderdale boat show today and walked from here to there to everywhere, then went for a stroll along the river downtown, then out for dinner and just got home about an hour ago. I've been writing this post since yesterday afternoon and I'm wondering if I'll have the energy to finish it before getting into jammies and jumping into bed.

Then again, I've already discussed the past two weekends, so what else is there to say, really? Oh I know...

Happy Halloween, Everyone!

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

back

from romantic weekend getaway

will post/comment soon

I promise!

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

So that NYC post...

Man, it's been so long since we got back from that trip, I'm not really sure I can remember enough to write a whole blog post! Actually I'm not sure how it worked out that I said I would write a whole post on that trip at all. I mean it was fun and all but it was just, you know... NY.

If you read me regularly, you probably know that I'm a NYer, born and raised. So going to NY is not a very special event for me. I mean, I love it... it will always be home, and I always have a great time. But I try to make at least 2 trips a year, so it's not really one of those "ooh! you went on vacation to new york city!" things. I just went home.

A couple of things were different about this trip, though. For one, I was really travelling for work. Yes, I convinced Chulo to fly up and make a weekend out of it, but the real purpose of my trip was work-related. For another, I travelled with a coworker, who has become a personal friend over the past 2 years or so of working together. And she'd never been to NY before. That's just hard for me to get. I know there are outrageous numbers of humans on this planet -- hell, even in this country ... I mean even on the mainland of this country -- that have not been to NYC. But it's still hard for me to grasp, because ... well honestly, folks, because I'm a NYer and that whole thing about NYers believing that NY is the centre of the universe? Yeah, that's true. Please don't ask me to name even one of the square states in the middle. I'm not sure if that weird half-a-McDonald's arch thing is in Minnesota or Missouri. And no, thankyouverymuch, I do NOT have an accent. You do.

Right. So travelling with Debbie was supersuper fun because I got to be Tour Guide Barbie. And dudes, I was sooooooooo good at that. I mean, I can't believe all the things I remembered. I was dragging this poor woman up, down and crosstown. I made her get on the train (eeek!). At rush hour (eeeek! eeeek!). We walked the cobblestones of the financial district and rode all the escalators at Grand Central. I taught her the names of the bridges, gave her the history of the neighbourhoods and showed her the nooks and crannies of my youth. I cried at the world trade centre memorial and took her shopping for irregular couture at Century's. And the FOOD. Do you know how fabu it is to eat in Manhattan and not be on a budget? Fuck me, it was awesome.

And yet? I feel like we didn't do ANYTHING. She didn't have a java at Big Cup. We didn't take the ferry, or scale any tall buildings (in a single leap or otherwise). We didn't buy fake bags on Canal Street and she never got to eat a dirty water dog. We didn't do Museum Mile, gawk at the Madison Ave shop windows, or have dim sum at Wo Hop followed by cannoli at Ferrara's (okay Ferrara's is overrated, but still. It's a freakin institution).

Oh and another huge difference? I mean HUGE. I stayed in a hotel. In midtown. See, I'm a Queens girl. I loved living in Queens, both the suburbs and the yurban ghetto, and being a Queens girl, I could not fathom those city dwellers. I mean what is THAT? But listen, only having to walk over two streets and down one avenue to get to the office? Whaaaaaaaat, I slept til 7. For that, I could see living in the city. But oh MAN it was noisy, even from the 15th floor or wherever I was. And I felt like the office building across the street could see straight into my room (city blocks are pretty close together). And it was the midtown equivalent of staying in a Comfort Inn or something. You know, good enough... but not luxury. Then again, when I look back at how we lived in apartments in NY... it's just nothing like here. The spaces are smaller, the buildings are older, the surfaces are rougher. And yet, the prices are astronomically higher. I don't even want to tell you the price of that hotel room.

Yes I do. It was $600 a night. Fucking retarded money. Thank God for expense accounts.

All in all, Debbie says she had a great trip to NY, thanks to moi, and she's looking forward to going back again. Which seems likely, because we do an awful lot of business out of that office. I hope she gets to stay a little longer next time... maybe even through the weekend. There are so many things left to see.

So that was my week with Debbie. And then... Chulo got there. And I felt like Tour Guide Barbie all over again. Except this time, I had the Barbie dream car too. In the form of a blue Hyundai Sonata. Which, thank God, he was driving. Lord knows I would have had an accident. I may have learned to drive by racing yellow cabs, but it's been a long time since I've had to deal with that kind of traffic mania.

He was so cute... my little NY baby, who grew up literally 10 miles (if that) away from my house, had no idea of how to get around in the big bad city. I don't think he ever left Queens. It was so weird.

So we spent Friday night with my sister and her husband... Saturday afternoon with his grandmother, then Saturday evening we drove to visit his friends out on Long Island and spent the night and most of Sunday there. I went shopping with his buddy's wife on Sunday, trying desperately to find an appropriate gift for Chulo's birthday... we ran from store to store and then finally the light dawned...

Dzer will be so proud of me...

I bought him golf clubs.

And had them shipped to his sister's house because I didn't think I'd be able to hide the huge box from him as we drove back into the city and flew home. I'm a genius!

He hasn't used them yet, but he swears he likes them. He's been saying how he wants to learn because his boss/all the guys at work are golfers and he can't join them. So I think I will also get him some lessons so that he doesn't look like a loser the first time he goes out there with them. They'll know he's a beginner, but at least he can look good with his novice swing.

Ok this post is starting to bore me and I'M the one writing it, so I'll spare you the rest. I just wanted to give the NY update and I think I've accomplished that so I guess I'm done. Let's plan a blogger trip to the city so I can play Tour Guide Barbie again. Maybe I'll even get a pink nubby silk suit with a matching pillbox hat and scarf. I draw the line at going blonde, though. :)

Sunday, October 15, 2006

buzz

I have so much to talk about. Actually for the first time, I have the draft of a post (yes, the NY post -- finally!) already sitting in my dashboard or whatever, but I'm shooting past it to post this instead.

What a week. I can't possibly blog about everything that's gone through my mind this week, because 1) much of it is work-related and now that I understand what "dooce" means, I don't really want to risk it happening to me, and 2) my memory is just not that good. But it was one of those weeks in which something happens every day, and not just some random everyday somethings, but weird, good, catch-you-off-guard, blogworthy somethings. Mainly, I learned things. For example:

I am an executive. That's so weird. Dudes, I am only 31. I still use the word "dude" with relative frequency. I only wear suits a few times a month, and most of my shoes are anything but sensible. And yet ... I am an executive. How did I make this startling discovery, you might ask? Well. This week, we had a quarterly operations meeting at work. You know, the kind of meeting where all the bigwigs get together and make presentations and discuss the present state of the company and what its future looks like, and who has to do what to get to that future state. I wasn't invited to this meeting. I'm still relatively new to the company, and I imagine that's the reason why, since I was the only executive/officer not present. Still, I was a little dismayed to not be invited. But then I thought ... better to not have to go, as I have soooooooooo much work to do that I can't really spare a whole day for meetings. Also, I figured it would be boring. And more than likely, it was. But. Buuuuutttt. I was still working at the end of the day, when the meeting finally adjourned. And some coworkers (who were in the meeting) stopped by to ask me such and so. And my boss stopped in too, to discuss some other aspect of the meeting and how can I devise X to produce Y solution. And then, boys and girls, my boss asked me to join them for dinner. Like an idiot, I declined. Really. When your boss, who happens to be the CEO, asks you to join him and about 9 or 10 other executives for dinner, you DO NOT say no. But dumbass me... said no. Luckily, I said no in front of at least 3 of said executives, who proceeded to guilt me into joining them. So I did. I had a date at the gym with Chulo, but I decided maybe... just MAYBE... this was more important. And I went. And it was brilliant.

It't not like I spent my evening brainstorming, or learning the intricate details of the company, or dazzling my coworkers with wit and moxie. But I was there, folks. To my left was the CEO. To my right, the CFO. We were also joined by the HR Director, the VP of International Business, the head of Trading, and the Chairman, among others. I spend a lot of time these days thinking about my job and wondering if I'm really ready to take on the challenge that I've taken. Wondering if I'm going to do something unforgivably stupid and disappoint my boss, and possibly ruin my career. But you know... then I think, but these people believed in me. They chose ME. They come to me day in and day out, asking for my opinion. They expect a lot from me, and I try very hard to deliver. And then, I find myself sitting among these brilliant people and I realise that I'm not there by some accident of fate but because they want me there. And that is a really good feeling.

I also learned that you don't always get what you want, but your chances increase substantially if you ask for it. During said executive dinner, or rather immediately prior to it, I used the valet to park my car -- not because I'm an insufferable snob (even if I do work in Boca), but because it was starting to rain and I'd just blown my hair out. So five minutes later, the valet guy comes into the restaurant to tell me that I had a flat tire. Being the kind of girl who has absolutely NO idea how to change a flat tire or even what to do about a flat tire other than call my boyfriend or roadside assistance, I looked at the guy, smiled a big executive smile, and asked him if he would kindly change it for me. And he motherfucking DID IT. I'm still kind of in shock about that one. I'm not the kind of girl who can just bat her eyelashes or flash a little leg and get whatever she wants. I'm the kind that relies on ingenuity and personality rather than feminine wiles and physical attributes. And ingenuity and personality don't really go as far. And yet, it worked! I think it may have had something to do with the company I was keeping that night. Or maybe he likes big girls. Or maybe he was just being a nice guy. Anywhichway, I'm immensely pleased with myself for being so brazen as to ask for such a thing. And yes, I left him a large tip ...or at least as large as the cash amount in my wallet would allow, which was $25.

Also? I can totally pull off costume jewelry. I never thought I could... I have always worn exactly the same gold necklace, bracelet and earrings, every day. Bo-ring. I sleep, shower, exercise, clean, and just generally live with them on. Wearing other stuff always felt weird. But while I was in NY, I went shopping with Debbie, who is a costume jewelry maven. And there were just sooooooooo many cute things. Mind you, I have always loved shopping for costume jewelry, because I can usually find someone that I think a particular piece would be just lovely on, and so I live vicariously through those gift purchases. But Debbie helped me shop for my own lovely little baubles, and I started wearing them shortly after I returned to Florida. Now I find myself looking at the stuff EVERYWHERE. And I'm really good at putting the pieces together with different outfits ... like the smoky amethyst crystal tri-strand with my sheer mauve blouse over a black shell and trousers. Or the long silver chain with the large round glossy black pendant with my black pinstripe pants and white blouse. Granted, all this glamour takes an extra 3-5 minutes each morning, which I really cannot spare, but I've been having a good time with the stuff anyway. Oh and? Wearing costume jewelry -- not the junky stuff that we wore as kids in the 80s but the real quality stuff that won't discolour even though it's not made of precious metals? Makes me feel VERY executiveish! -s-

So many other things happened this week ... little things, annoying things, revelations, disappointments. But I'm too tired to blog about them just now. So I'm going to gently wake my slumbering boyfriend (who I think gets some of his best sleeps lying on the couch while I'm at the computer), and cuddle up with him in bed, and get a good night's sleep. I have some work that I brought home with me that I shouuld really do tomorrow, plus I want to go shopping for Christmas preparations (I know, it's still so early but we've already started our shopping!) and maybe buy another necklace or two!

Sunday, October 08, 2006

Confession

I have a confession to make.

I have been at home, in pajamas, since about 3pm Friday afternoon.

Against vehement protest, I have sent my boyfriend away to a transmission parts and building expo (whatever that may consist of) in Orlando.

I have been taking my antibiotics, my cough syrup, and my temperature regularly.

I have read some of my book. I have watched some television. I have played several rounds of Yahoo! Gin. I have read and responded to work emails, and drafted a strategy for disciplining one of my brokers. And I have taken several short naps, woken from each one by a violent coughing fit.

I have scattered my floor with snotty tissues and broken my diet by putting honey in my tea and sucking on ice pops.

And in all this time, I have not blogged. I've visited your blogs, read them and even commented, but I have not written a post, knowing full well that I owe a post about our NYC exploits.

I'm sorry.

But in my defense, it's been soooooooooo good to just relax for a bit. Even if I had to get sick to finally be able to do it.

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