Jessica Mariella Photography & Travels

New Blog!

2011-11-18T16:35:00.003-05:00

Hi all! Subscribe to my new blog if you'd like! Same URL, different blog (kinda) ... http://www.jessicamariella.blogspot.com/

Adventures in Waffle Making Part II

2011-04-05T22:30:00.000-04:00

This weekend I was in the mood for some waffles. I was itching for a delicious tasty waffle. So, I gathered all of my ingredients and followed the instructions for making WAFFLES, not PANCAKES.

I was excited, thinking things would be different... but no...

I thought...well...maybe it needs to warm up a bit....

I was not one to feel disgruntled. I noticed the dosage of batter seemed insufficent, as it did not fill up the nooks and crannies. So, I filled my waffle maker full...

VICTORY!!! Blueberry...yum yum

Brought to you by: Jessica Mariella at http://www.jessicamariella.blogspot.com/

I Know You Read This

2011-03-02T07:47:00.001-05:00

There are many people who come in and out of our lives. Some of those people we miss and others, well not so much. No matter how that person may have been cut out of your life, there are times when you or that person wonder about "what might have been."

First, you may have that person who does not know when to just give up. They creep your Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Blog, Ebay, etc etc. Even though you have gone out of your way to rid yourself of this particular person, you know they still haunt you. They may hate themselves for what they've done to get expunged, erased, deleted, forgotten. They may hate the others who now populate your life. No matter how many times you change your email address, phone number, facebook account, they manage to find you and track you. So, this goes out to you, you know who you are. You missed out. You fucked up. Yes, I've grown since those fleeting moments of naivete, when I didn't know any better. Yes, my life is better. I have goals that I will reach. The guilt stalks you. You want to convince me that you've changed, but a tiger can't change his stripes. I know you embellish a lot of your life. You still lie. You still keep secrets. When you finally stop lying to yourself, you'll have what it takes to be the person you think you are.

Second, you have those friends from school who you wish would hop on the Facebook train so that you can find them. I had a really close friend, Laura, in Middle School. We lived in Littlestown, Pa, right by the Honey Bee Diner. She loved softball. She wanted to play for the school team more than anything I think at that time. She always asked me to play softball with her and the two boys who lived by us. Even though I hated softball, I played for her. We had a lot of good times, and I have often wished I could reconnect with her. I hope everything is going well for her. She was very intelligent and talented. One of my fondest memories of her was this pretend newspaper we made. I think it was called "At the Crack of Dawn" with a huge buttcrack rising on the horizon. Haha!

Third, some people had no choice when they left us. God called them to Heaven, and we had no choice but to let them go. Two people easily come to mind. My (Step) Grandpa Don, and my Great Great Aunt Wanda. Words cannot express how much they mean to me and how much I miss them. I have improved so much since they left and I would do anything to have them back in my life again, even if just for five minutes.

Last, there may have been a brief stranger who brushed by in a split second. Even though short-lived in your life, they made such a profound impact on your life for that minuscule moment in time. I blame my wander lust for encountering such things. I used to take the train to NYC every other Friday to relax, sometimes just to visit Starbucks. Walking up and downs those busy sidewalks, made the chances of bumping into someone interesting very probable. Unrelated from this blog entry, I once went to New York and people thought I was a celebrity and wanted my autograph. It was very weird.

So, anyway... you never know who may come or go at any minute, so live life to the fullest and never rake any moment for granted, as it could be the last.

Brought to you by: Jessica Mariella at http://www.jessicamariella.blogspot.com/

Adventures in Waffle Making

2011-02-28T05:16:00.000-05:00

My parents asked me one of the things I wanted for Christmas. I told them I wanted a waffle maker. After my friend had me over for ice cream and waffles (don't knock it til you've tried it), I wanted a waffle maker for myself.

I figured it'd be so easy to make waffles...

It turns out, PANCAKE mix will NOT work for making waffles. I even searched the store for waffle mix, but didn't see any. So, I ASSUMED they were one in the same.

Excited for waffles one morning, I made the pancake mix and fired up my spinning waffle maker. I excited told my boyfriend how awesome and delicious they were going to be. In my head, I was planning on future waffles, ones with blueberries, chocolate chips, and maybe even whipped cream and strawberry drizzle. I was getting arrogant before my first homemade waffle had even been born!

I stared at the waffle maker, waiting for the ready light to turn orange. When it finally did, I excited opened the lid, only to discover a waffle murder scene!

Waffle Murder Scene

First waffle made!

Slowly got recognizable

Eh, ugly but edible

I know NOW that the next time I use my waffle maker to use WAFFLE mix and not PANCAKE mix!

Brought to you by: Jessica Mariella at http://www.jessicamariella.blogspot.com/

Review: Zou's Garden of Morgantown, PA

2011-02-26T16:50:00.001-05:00

Restaurant: Zou's Garden
Location: 2846 Main Street, Morgantown, PA 19546
Phone Number: 610-913-0633
Hours: Monday Closed, Tuesday 09:00 AM - 10:00 PM, Wednesday 09:00 AM - 10:00 PM, Thursday 09:00 AM - 10:00 PM, Friday 09:00 AM - 10:00 PM, Saturday 11:00 AM - 10:30 PM, Sunday 12:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Cuisine: Chinese, Vegetarian
Payment: Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Debit Cards, Check
Ambiance: Family Friendly, Romantic

Features: Take Out
Smoking: No Smoking
Price Range: $10 - $20
Bathrooms: Small, but clean
Location: Small town

If you have eaten here in the past and did not like it, go back! This restaurant has a new owner and she is very kind and aims to please her customers.

Unfortunately, I don't remember the names of the dishes. I'll take better note next time! I've tried the honey chicken and general Tso's, both of which were divine! My favorite appetizer is the Crab Rangoons.

My parents and I have been eating here since 2003-2004, after moving to the area. I would recommend this place to anyone!

Brought to you by: Jessica Mariella at http://www.jessicamariella.blogspot.com/

Foto Friday #3 - My Spiritual Totem - the Wolf

2010-12-17T21:21:00.001-05:00

My spiritual totem is the wolf, which represents loyalty, perseverance, success, intuition, and spirit. Other words associated with the wolf are: teacher, individuality, group consciousness, guardianship.

Perhaps what we fear is not the wolf, but the wildness in ourselves.

A totem can be the symbol of a tribe, clan, family or individual. Native American believe that each and every one of us is connected with nine different animals that will accompany us through life, acting as guides. There are many different kinds of totems that come in and out of our lives. This can depend on the direction that we are headed in and the what tasks that need to be accomplished along our journey.

Knowing my lifelong totem was almost an innate process. Ever since I was a child, I have been always been inexplicably drawn to wolves. I used to have so many dreams where wolves would be in them. At the zoo I could watch the wolves for hours. I've always loved artwork with wolves in them. I am fascinated by the moon. And a wolf's house makes the hair on my neck stand.

You can have the following totems in your life:
* Life long
* Journey
* Message
* Shadow

Explanations come from: http://www.spiritualnetwork.net/totems/index.html

When discovering totems you must first understand if the totem is a Life Totem, A Journey Totem, Shadow Totem, or a Message Totem. All totems are powerful but the meaning that the totem brings will vary on your action depending on what type of totem has come to you.

Your Life Long Animal Totem works with you throughout your entire life or until such time that you no longer need that animal totem. It is always there when you need it's powers. Always reminding you of your power and connectivity. You may have only one or a few Life totems. They may become your Life totem at any time. But the primary Life Totem will be our focus at this time. The messages that your Life Totem brings are a hard reminder from Mother. Your Life Totem is always there for you and generally reflects your inner spiritual nature. Many call your Life Long animal totem your Spirit totem. For example if your Life Totem was a Penguin you would be a person who should be very spiritual since the penguin moves better in water (the symbol of the astral plane - which is were we go when we dream) than it does on land. Being able to leap out of the water (up to six feet) represents the ability of out of body experiences. It is also important to understand which type of penguin is your animal totem since some have additional characteristics that are important to consider, like most penguins life in tropical conditions not arctic ones.

A Journey Animal Totem reflects a period of time. Not just a day but weeks, months, or maybe year s- the time it takes you to walk the path that the Animal Totem is reminding or guiding you on. During this journey you will find that this animal is always showing up in your life or that several animal totems will appear in your life all to guide you on the path. When you find one, two or three animals all of a sudden making an appearance and their nature all has the same basis then you have found the basis of your path. The difference between the Journey Animal Totem and the Message Animal Totem is a period of time. A Message animal Totem will bring itself to you quickly and impartially where a Journey Animal Totem will slip in and out of your life over the course of a period. Looking into the cycle of the animal also can give insight to the length of the journey.

A Message Animal Totem usually is bringing you a self growth, spiritual message, or a cautionary warning. It is often a wake up call or slap in the face. It will usually be a very unusual experience making it very powerful at that time and very impartial. A Message Totem is a brief period of time, a day, a week, and occasionally as much as a couple of months but can be immediate for just a few hours. Sometimes a Message totem is not bringing you a message but causing a delay in your life. This delay, such as when you are trying to leave to go somewhere, is often in assistance for you; to be sure you are not in a place at a certain time so that you avoid an accident or can catch a phone call or meet someone you are supposed to run into.

A Shadow Animal Totem are those totems that test us. They have great power for us but will put us through tests before they will let their power work with and for us, instead of against us. In all of nature there is prey and predator. In the spiritual or Shadow World there is the same. A Shadow Animal Totem is one that initially you fear. The Shadow Totem often represents inner fears that you must overcome. You may have even been attracted by the animal; a very vivid test to see if you are ready to accept the power of the animal totem. Until you face the fears of the Shadow Animal Totem it's powers will work against you, not letting you soar high. When you overcome the fear of the Shadow Animal Totem you bring it into the Light World as a Spirit animal totem and they become one of your most powerful Animal Totems. Your goal with a Shadow Totem is to learn the lessons and incorporate that animal into your life. If you are scared by something over and over then you still have not accepted the lesson that animal has for you.

Here are some questions to ask yourself if you’re wondering what your animal totem is:

* Have you ever felt drawn to one animal or another without being able to explain why? This could be animal, including birds and insects.

* Does a certain kind of animal consistently appear in your life? This doesn’t necessarily have to be a physical appearance, it could be represented in other ways such as receiving card and letters with the same animal pictured over and over, unexplainable dreams of a particular animal, watching television and seeing the same animal featured time and time again, or, actually having the animal show up.

* When you go to the zoo, a park, wildlife area, or forest, what are you most interested in seeing?

* Are there any animals that you find to be extremely frightening or intriguing?

* Is there a particular animal that you see frequently when you’re out in nature?

* Have you ever been bitten or attacked by an animal?

* Have you ever had a recurring dream about a certain animal, or a dream from childhood that you have never been able to forget?

* Are you drawn to figurines or paintings of a specific animal?

About the Wolf:

Wolf is allied to the moon and lunar energies, teaching us to respect our emotions and unconscious urges. Respect for the wildness of our animal natures, and willingness to face the dark within ourselves is an imperative for Wolf people. Trust in the unspoiled nature of your Child/Wolf self.

Because the Moon rules psychic perception, Wolf people should work on learning to trust their intuition and psychic urges, to listen for the still small voice within.

The communal nature of Wolf's culture and hunting helps us to learn to cooperate to achieve a goal. Wolf people make good "team players" and are fiercely loyal to those they consider part of their pack. They often have strong leadership qualities, however they must often learn to balance their tendency for "social dominancing." As a predator, Wolf culls the sick and weak of the herd. Wolves are often quick to scent when a situation is "sick," and will work to change it. It is important that they learn to lead the situation gently, and without tearing others apart, or the pack may turn on them.

Wolf's capacity for communication suggests that Wolf people should learn to utilize the strength of their voice and to be aware of their body language. When dealing with Wolf people, listening for the nuances of vocal tone and watching their motions will help in gaining an understanding of them. Wolves often make excellent bards and storytellers.

Ritual is very important to Wolf. Both the little rituals of day-to-day conduct, and the bigger rituals of lunar howling. Whatever their spiritual beliefs, Wolf people will feel more in tune when they honor and re-link (the actual meaning of the word "religion") with the life force.

I am the WOLF!!!! I thought it was so cool and such a coincidence that when I went through boot camp I was part of the 331st Wolfpack and then when I went to tech school I was the 336th Red Wolves :)

Enjoy some beautiful pictures of wolves!!

Brought to you by: Jessica Mariella at http://www.jessicamariella.blogspot.com/

Walmart #2888 - They "love" Pets!

2010-11-23T18:13:00.000-05:00

I love a loving heart when it comes to any living creature.

I went to walmart today with just the intention of buying a 10-gallon take to house a male betta and his flock of female friends. I navigated to the pet aisle for the tank, gravel and some other essentials. While browsing the shelves, I heard this young woman exclaim, "Omigosh, it's dead!"

She was over in the live fish section, so I walked over. There were three betta containers. The small dishes were covered in filth!! I was appalled and at the same time, saddened. I looked at the top one and the fish was definitely dead (and had been dead for a while). The second one was a female betta. I scooped her up and put her in my cart. The third container was a male betta. I already have a male betta, so I couldn't take him. I walked away from the fish, back into the gravel section. I stared back at the fish; I couldn't leave it set there. I picked up another small tank, more gravel and the male betta.

This is not the FIRST time this store has been like this. A few months ago I went to the store and noticed the bettas were kind of gross, however nothing compared to these guys. So, I left a note on a paper towel for them to take better care of their fish.

The second time I waved at the camera and pointed to the tanks, shook my head in disapproval and continued shopping.

NOW, when I saw these fish, it was inexcusable!! These are LIVING creatures. If they are "just fish" to you, then DON'T SELL FISH!!!

Well, these two bettas WILL have a better life. I set up their new home. They'll have to wait just a little bit longer until all the chemicals have been cleaned out of the water though.

I'm not sure exactly where I need to turn to get the point across, as I am sure my Walmart isn't the only one guilty of its obvious neglect.

Anyone else have a shitty Walmart????

Female Comebacks

2010-11-12T22:15:00.000-05:00

Man: Haven't I seen you someplace before?
Woman:Yes, that's why I don't go there anymore.

Man: Is this seat empty?
Woman: Yes, and this one will be if you sit down.

Man: Your place or mine?
Woman: Both. You go to yours, and I'll go to mine.

Man: So, what do you do for a living?
Woman: I'm a female impersonator.

Man: Hey baby, what's your sign?

Woman: Do not enter.

Man: How do you like your eggs in the morning?
Woman: Unfertilized

Man: Your body is like a temple.

Woman: Sorry, there are no services today.

Man: I would go to the end of the world for you.
Woman: But would you stay there?

Man: If I could see you naked, I'd die happy.
Woman: If I saw you naked, I'd probably die laughing

Happy Veteran's Day!!

2010-11-11T14:10:00.001-05:00

I am an American Airman.

I am a Warrior.

I have answered my nation's call.

I am an American Airman.

My mission is to fly, fight, and win.

I am faithful to a proud heritage,

a tradition of honor,

and a legacy of valor.

I am an American Airman,

Guardian of freedom and justice,

My nation's sword and shield,

Its sentry and avenger.

I defend my country with my life.

I am an American Airman:

Wingman, Leader, Warrior.

I will never leave an Airman behind.

I will never falter,

and I will not fail.

Happy Veteran's Day to all past and present military service members. God Bless!!!

Losing Weight the Right Way

2010-10-31T13:54:00.000-04:00

When it's come to weight loss, I've been a roller coaster. In October 2007 I weighed in at 178. By January 2008 I dropped down to 130. October 2010 I weight 155. With the stress of being laid off from my job, moving in with my parents after I thought I'd never be back, getting another apartment almost three hours away from Joe and so on...the stress has caused me to eat, which has caused me to gain weight since I wasn't working out.

When I lost the weight in 2007 I was starving myself to the point where I would black out and fall while standing doing dishes. It ended up doing more harm than good. Sure, I got 15 pounds away from my goal weight, but in the end it wasn't worth it. I started going to the gym in early 2008 up until September 2009 when I was laid off.

My new job is very busy and it is hard for me to "let go" and go to the gym. However, my job depends on my physical fitness, so it is very imperative I FIND time. If I don't, I won't be able to keep my job.

I've tried just about every diet pill there is. They're all placebos if you ask me. The ONLY sure way to lose weight and KEEP it off is exercise and Weight Watchers. If you don't cheat on Weight Watchers (like I have been), then it's a 100% guarantee you'll lose weight.

I've been trying to get back on my Weight Watcher plan, but it's so hard. I have so much to do and when I feel overwhelmed, I eat. I eat when I'm happy, mad, sad, lonely, and ...hungry.

The first 1 to 2 weeks on Weight Watchers will suck. You'll starve. You might have headaches. But you have to be strong. That is where Propel water is helping me. For a bit over $3 for 6 bottles (at approximately 54 cents a bottle) I buy Propel water. I am sure there are better deals elsewhere. I HAVE to cut down on my soda. I was back up to 4 cans of soda a day. Soda not only rots out your teeth, but the soda tricks your body and you actually are more hungry because of it.

So, with Weight Watchers, the first thing you have to do is determine how points you need:

STEP 1: First we will establish a baseline for points depending on your gender and whether or not you are nursing. If you are female, give yourself 2 points to start. If you are male give yourself 8 weight watchers points to start. If you are nursing give yourself 12 weight watchers points to start.

Example: I am a woman so I start with 2 points.

STEP 2: The next thing you will do to calculate weight watchers points is to add to the number you got in step 1 to points you get for your age. If you are between 17-26 add 4 points to your weight watchers point total. If you are between 27-37 add 3 points; 38-47 add 2; 48-57 add 1; and over 58 add 0. This is because your metabolism slows as you get older so when you calculate how many weight watchers points you get.

Ex. I am 25 years old so I add 4 which gives me a total of 6 points.

STEP 3: Next, you will take the numbers you added together in step 1 and 2 and then adjust it for your weight and height. You are going to take the first two numbers of your weight. (You would add 20 if you weighed 204 pounds.) You will also adjust for your height. If you are under 5 ft you will add 0, between 5'0" and 5'9" you will add 1, and over 5'10" add 2.

Ex. I weigh 155 pounds so I will add 15 points to my total giving me 21. Then since I am 5'5" I will add 1 more point giving me 22.

STEP 4: Lastly, you will calculate how weight watchers points you get by adjusting for your activity level. If you spend most of your day sitting down, add 0 to your points total. If you are occasionally sitting but mostly standing add 2. If you are walking most of the time add 4. If you do physically difficult work, add 6.

Ex. I spend almost all of my day at a desk sitting so I will add 0 which makes my point target 22. Now you have calculated your daily weight watchers points target.

I highly recommend checking out a Weight Watcher meeting in your local area. You don't have to attend meetings forever, just until you have reached a point where you have the knowledge to live a healthy life or you don't need the support from others.

Once you have done that, purchase journals to keep you in check. It's a proven fact that people who keep food journals lose more weight. Good luck!

I like the 3-month journals. They are small and fit in your purse, or just about anywhere.

Sunday Survey #1 - Halloween Survey

2010-10-31T01:09:00.001-04:00

How old do you think is too old to dress up for Halloween?

Never :)
How old are you?
25

Are you into scary or sexy costumes?
Sexy, but not slutty

Will you/ Did you dress up this Halloween?
Prob not this year, even though I bought a costume

How many times do you plan to wear your costume this year?
maybe for some "fun" time

What is your costume name?
Warrior Goddess

Describe your costume?

Where will you be celebrating Halloween?
Parents' house (dog sitting)

When was the last time you went trick-or-treating?
1997??

Have you ever entered a costume contest?
Probably when I was a kid

How soon did you know what you wanted to dress up as this year?
about 2 weeks ago

When did you get your costume?
see above

Do you deck out with lots of accessories- or just what it came with?
Just a couple extra accessories

How much did you spend total on your costume this year?
$80 ish with shoes and all

Have you ever made a home-made costume?
Yep - Pocahontas!

If so, what was it?
see above

What is your favorite couples costume idea?
Joe will be my Warrior God next year and it will be sexy and my favorite :)

What is your favorite group costume idea?
Hmmm, I dunno...maybe the Village People? haha

Name one of your childhood costumes?
witch

Do your parents still dress up for Halloween?
They do for work sometimes

Do you already know what you want to dress up as next year?
The costume I was going to wear this year...

An Egg-cellent Entry

2010-10-31T00:53:00.000-04:00

I never get tired of these photos.

For your viewing pleasure. Check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2Cfg3swvbc (annoying eggs!)

The Relevance of Math in the Real World

2010-10-30T13:00:00.004-04:00

I've never been one to go out of my way to do things math-related. Growing up, I always said that I would never have a job that involved computers or math. Well, I've been in the IT field since 2004 and after meeting my boyfriend (who's really good at math), I've found a new appreciation for numbers.

arithmetic just drops out of trees

I actually quite fancy numbers, especially when it comes to my finances.

Here's a good number: 739 - my credit score. I've worked hard to get it there after being in unnecessary debt. I'm still in debt, but you betcha I'm working hard to pay it off.

Another good number: 26 - the age I will be in less than two weeks!

If you are in debt and are looking for the best way out, I used www.bankrate.com

For credit card help, I clicked on "Credit Cards" at the top. Scroll down to "Credit Card Calculators" and click "What will it take to pay off your card?"

On this screen, you can enter your balance, interest rate and payment per month or months you would like to pay your card off.

Plug in the minimum payment amount, I dare you. You'll be horrified at how many years it will take to pay off your card. I love this site because you can set and make realistic goals. It helped me once and it will help me again.

So why is math relevant in the real world? Because, the world is obsessed with nothing but numbers! We are judgmental based on weight, height, age, credit score, income, prices of things, etc.

Once you understand the importance of numbers, you can control the obsession we have on numbers.

Short blog, because my lunch is ready and I am starving!

Shelter Cats NEED YOUR Help!!!

2010-09-02T19:34:00.005-04:00

Did you know that more than 70% of cats who enter animal shelters are killed??

Those are very disturbing statistics. However, if each of us donate just a few bucks, we can make a huge difference.

Because too many people are ignorant and/or negligent in spaying and neutering their pets, thousands of animals are killed EACH DAY, all over the country, at the very hands who try so hard to give them a chance at a good life, but who simply cannot afford to.

Strangely, 81% (According to Alley Cat Allies) of Americans believe it is more humane to leave a stray cat outside to live out his life, rather than catch and kill him. Animals are subject to the elements (blizzard and blistering temperatures, not having guaranteed fresh water or food, falling victim to cruel people who torture them, or getting injured and slowly die to death).

When we work together, we can accomplish great things. EDUCATE as many people as you can to SPAY AND NEUTER their pets! I see way too many adds in papers for people trying to sell pets. In this tough economy, people are trying to make extra income by breeding animals. Yet, when they have no buyers, they dump the pets somewhere, abandon them, and they breed and breed and breed.

Animal shelters are definitely full, but at a minimum we should trap-neuter-return. It is the most cost-effective approach to reducing the amount of feral cats.

Sarah Palin is a huge fan of the catch and kill, or simply the "KILL" approach. This is wrong in so many ways. Sure, you get all the animals out of a certain area - but not for long. Soon, animals will see this area as "vacant" and move in, breed and you have the same problem all over again. It's the vacuum effect. Google it.

So, help your animal shelters - by volunteering, item donation, or money.

About My Best Friend

2010-09-01T18:30:00.000-04:00

Can you answer 51 questions about your best friend?

1) What's their name?
Joe

2) Does he or she have a boyfriend/girlfriend?
yes, me

3) Do you get along with this person all the time?
yes

4) How long have you known this person?
Since October 2007

5) Has he/she ever cooked for you?
no

6) Is this person older than you?
Yep, old man!

7) Have you ever hugged this person?
EVery chance I get.

8) Do you ever argue?
Sometimes, nothing serious

9) Are you related to this person?
I will be when we're married :)

10) Are you really close to him/her?
Yes

11) Nickname?
Joey and a few other petnames. Won't embarass him!

12) Do they have a nickname for you?
Yes, we do lots of nicknames.

13) How many times do you talk to this person in a week?
Try to keep in contact as best we can, especially while doing the long distance thing

14) Do you think they will repost this?
No, he probably won't even see this!

15) Could you live with this person?
Yes.

16) Why did you pick this person?
God chose us to fall in love. xoxoxo

17) What do you like most about your best friend?
So much. We are definitely opposites, but we get along so well.

18) What do you and your best friend do most together?
watch tv and cuddle :)

19) Have you ever been to the mall with this person?
Yes

20) Whose temper is worse?
His!

21) If you ever moved away would you miss this person?
Obviously, yes.

22) Who curses more?
Probably me. I can't help it - I love the "F" word!

23) Have you ever done something really stupid or illegal with this person?
No, but fun stuff :)

24) Do you know everything about this person?
Probably a lot, but not everything. Give me some time!

25) Would you date this person siblings?
No, I want him.

26) Have you ever made something with this person?
Yes, rawr

27) Do you have a lot of shared interests with this person?
yes

28) Would you take a bullet for this person?
Yes

29) Have you eaten with this person?
Obviously...

30) How did you and your best friend meet?
Online of all places, Who would have thunk??

31) Who's funnier?
Me, duh! ha

32) Would you change anything about your best friend?
I wish he didn't smoke

33) Have you ever worn this person's clothes?
Yes, I stole his hoodie

34) Does this person wear your clothes?
No, that would be weird

35) If it was "freaky friday" would you switch bodies with this person?
Maybe for an hour! lol

36) Have you ever heard this person sing?
He sings a little bit in the car!

37) Have you met each other's parents?
Yes!

38) Do you and this person have a saying?
A few!

39) Do you know this persons facebook password?
We share an account, although he never logs on!

40) DO you share the same group of friends?
Not really

41) Have you and this person ever gotten into a fight that lasted more then two weeks?
NO

42) Who texts more?
I guess me, because I always write novels

43) Do you ever fight over the remote?
ha, yes

44.) Have you and this person gone clubbing?
Just to some weird bars.

45) Do you know how to make this person feel happy?
:)

46) Do you and this person talk a lot?
Yes

47) Do you like this person?
Yesssss

48) What is this person's favorite color?
blue and green

49) Have you and this person got into a fist fight?
I'd kick his butt! Ha, yea right. He's super strong.

50) Do you want to go out with this person?
I am. Yes, be jealous.

51) Do you want to be friends with them forever?
Yes! His best friend, confidant, wifey and mother to our children!

It's Been a While...

2010-09-01T18:14:00.002-04:00

I just haven't been in the mood, really, to write. But I figured I'd try the whole "one blog a day" thing, or at least 30 entries for the month of September. So, I'm going to start the month off with a few survies, because I can't help myself....

1. What time usually do you wake up? early

2. How do you like your steak? dead, very well done

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Wow, its been a while - not quite sure

4. What is your favorite TV show? True Blood, among many others

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Anywhere as long as I'm with Joe and close to family

6. What did you have for breakfast? apple and peanut butter

7. What is your favorite cuisine? Anything pretty much

8. What foods do you dislike? cauliflower and liver

9. Favorite Place to Eat? anywhere

10. Favorite singer? myself, lolol

11. What kind of vehicle do you drive? scion tc

12. What are your favorite clothes? holey jeans, comfy tee and flip flops

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Heaven (but just to visit! I'm not ready to stay.)

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? Depends what's in it ;)

15. Where would you want to retire? By the ocean

16. Favorite time of day? The parts where people don't piss me off!

17. Any gf/bf ? Joe :)

18. What is your favorite sport to watch? Hockey

19. Who do you think will not tag you back? I'm not tagging anyone

20. Person you expect to tag you back first? ? The man in the moon

21.Who are you most curious about their responses to this? I'm not

22. Bird watcher? yes

23. What is your favorite kamasutra position? you probably would like to know

24. Do you have any pets? yes I do

25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? nope

26. What did you want to be when you were little? A "vegetarian" ...meant veternarian

27. What is your best childhood memory? I have a few

28. Are you a cat or dog person? Both

29. Are you married? Not yet!

30. Always wear your seat belt? Yes

31. Been in a car accident? Yes.

32. How many gf/bf did you have? 2. Going to marry the second one ;)

33. Favorite last best moment? Hershey Park with Joe

34. Favorite Flower? So many! Orchids, hydragena, lillies....

35. Favorite ice cream? Pretty much the cold flavors

36. Favorite fast food restaurant? subway or quiznos

37. How many times did you fall in love? once and the flame is still going

38. From whom did you get your last email? who knows

39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? hmm, tough question

40. What have you done spontaneous lately? Went to a zoo

41. Like your job? yes

42. How old were you the first time you made love? private

43. How old was she/he? too old and an asshole

44. Last person you went out to dinner with? My babe

45. What are you listening to right now? No Doubt

46. What is your favorite color? blue and green

47. How many tattoos do you have? two

48. How many are you tagging for this quiz? gosh, no one

49. Coffee Drinker? Nope

50. What will you do with $500,000? split with parents, pay off debt, buy a house, donate to an animal shelter, take a nice vacation with my love

51. What time did you finish this quiz? just in time

Fort Gordon Adventures

2010-07-16T07:50:00.004-04:00

Here I sit in the "morale" tent at Fort Gordon, Georgia. I truly, truly wish I had brought my work laptop to do my real job rather than sit here and be consumed by this thing called boredom and a slight feeling of inadequacy.

My job is super important in the beginning and in the end of training. In the middle I'm really just here for support in case it corrupts, breaks, etc.

Normally I have something to follow on to do, but this is such a small operation, that a few of us I think are fighting over things to do.

So, here I sit at 8 in the morning, guarding the food and Internet Cafe in the morale tent.

The weather here is less than desirable. When you leave a tent or any other building, you are punched in the face by the suffocating humidity. I do not mind the heat. However, when combined with the humidity it is hard to bear.

We arrived here Saturday, July 10th. I am thankful to have a good roomate here at billeting who shares the same schedule as me. There's nothing worse than working in adverse conditions with someone who's the opposite of you, waking you up, etc.

Billeting has been interesting. My roomate brought DVD box sets to watch. We put some in, but without a DVD remote it was impossible to navigate through the menus. So, we essentially had to watch the first episode on each disc and suffer. We put out two notes for the maids asking for a remote, but we never got one. So, roomie bought a universal remote. Some days we don't get all of our towels, sometimes we don't get toilet paper, and if you sleep in past 0700 they don't bother stopping by at all unless you stalk someone down.

We were even lucky enough to have a brown recluse as a surveillance camera in the corner of our bathroom. We googled and sure enough, the 7-legged creature fit the M.O. for highly poisonous spider. I grabbed a towel and swatted it. The spider fell to the floor and quickly crawled under the sink. I grabbed a cup and trapped it, then slid a chinese takeout menu under it. Fearing that its venomous fangs would pierce through the thin menu, I ran two doors down to a coworker to have him kill the spider. I ran back to our room and jumped on my bed. Our demi-God came over and smooshed it. I screamed when he lifted the cup and said it wasn't in there. Screamed like a little girl.

Also, if you enjoy poor customer service and small curly hair in your food, feel free to eat at Me Me and Bo Bos at Fort Gordon --> http://www.fortgordon.com/me_mes.php I was so sick to my stomach. About 7 or so of us went there. It was advertised as a buffet, which made me super excited (I love Chinese Buffets!). We get there and the buffet is closed. I order crab rangoons and honey chicken. When I get my food, my meal does NOT look like any honey chicken I've ever eaten, and I have a LOT of chinese restuarants under my belt. I ask the server if this is the honey chicken and his response was, "I dunno" and he walks away. One guy was decent, but he seemed new. Then, while sharing some crab rangoons, I notice a small semi-curled hair deep-fried into my rangoon. My gag reflexes prepare for battle as I stared at the follicle. I wanted to puke. The food tasted of vinegar. It was bad. Just bad.

Other than that, things have been decent. Working 0700 to 1900, helping the Army for their Global Medic Exericse.

A MUST Click!

2010-06-22T22:11:00.001-04:00

Every must have this song on their playlist!!!

Click Here to Listen

How to Handle Telemarketers

2010-06-17T18:38:00.001-04:00

Twenty Responses To Use With Telemarketers
1. If they want to loan you money, tell them you just filed for bankruptcy and you could sure use some money.

2. If they start out with, "How are you today?" say, "I'm so glad you asked, because no one these days seems to care, and I have all these problems. My arthritis is acting up, my eyelashes are sore, my dog just died . . . "

3. If they say they're John Doe from XYZ Company, ask them to spell their name. Then ask them to spell the company name. Then ask them where it is located, how long it has been in business, how many people work there, how they got into this line of work if they are married, how many kids they have, etc. Continue asking them personal questions or questions about their company for as long as necessary.

4. This works great if you are male. Telemarketer: "Hi, my name is Judy and I'm with XYZ Company." You: Wait for a second and with a real husky voice ask, "What are you wearing?"

5. Cry out in surprise, "Judy? Is that you? Oh my God! Judy, how have you been?" Hopefully, this will give Judy a few brief moments of terror as she tries to figure out where she could know you from.

6. Say "No" over and over. Be sure to vary the sound of each one, and keep a rhythmic tempo, even as they are trying to speak. This is most fun if you can do it until they hang up.

7. If MCI calls trying to get you to sign up for the Family and Friends Plan, reply, in as sinister a voice as you can, "I don't have any friends, would you be my friend?"

8. If the company cleans rugs, respond: "Can you get out blood? Can you get out goat blood? How about human blood?"

9. After the Telemarketer gives his or her spiel, ask him or her to marry you. When they get all flustered, tell them that you can't just give your credit card number to a complete stranger.

10. Tell the Telemarketer that you work for the same company, and they can't sell to employees.

11. Answer the phone. As soon as you realize it is a Telemarketer, set the receiver down, scream, "Oh my God!" and then hang up.

12. Tell the Telemarketer you are busy at the moment and ask him/her if he/she will give you his/her home phone number so you can call him/her back. When the Telemarketer explains that telemarketers cannot give out their home numbers say, "I guess you don't want anyone bothering you at home, right?" The Telemarketer will agree and you say, "Me either!" Hang up.

13. Ask them to repeat everything they say, several times.

14. Tell them it is dinner time, but ask if they would please hold. Put them on your speaker phone while you continue to eat at your leisure. Smack your food loudly and continue with your dinner conversation.

15. Tell the Telemarketer you are on "home incarceration" and ask if they could bring you some beer.

16. Ask them to fax the information to you, and make up a number.

17. Tell the Telemarketer, "Okay, I'll listen to you. But I should probably tell you, I'm not wearing any clothes."

18. Insist that the caller is really your buddy Leon, playing a joke. "Come on, Leon, cut it out! Seriously, Leon, how's your momma?"

19. Tell them you are hard of hearing and that they need to speak up . . . louder . . . louder . . .

20. Tell them to talk very slowly, because you want to write every word down.

Ways to Annoy People

2010-06-17T18:35:00.000-04:00

Sing the Batman theme incessantly.

Ask people what gender they are.

Practice making fax and modem noises.

Learn Morse code, and have conversations with friends in public consisting entirely of "Beeeep Bip Bip Beeeep Bip..."

If you have a glass, tap on it occasionally with your pen while talking to others.

Speak only in a "robot" voice.

Blow your nose when some one is eating.

Start each meal by conspicuously licking all your food, and announce that this is so no one will "eat away your food "

Stomp on little plastic ketchup packets.

Name your dog "Dog."

Claim that you must always wear a bicycle helmet as part of your "astronaut training."

Declare your apartment an independent nation, and sue your neighbors upstairs for "violating your airspace."

Highlight irrelevant information in scientific papers and "cc:" them to your boss.

Invent nonsense computer jargon in conversations, and see if people play along to avoid the appearance of ignorance.

Erect an elaborate network of ropes in your backyard, and tell the neighbors you are a "spider person."

Finish all your sentences with the words "in accordance with prophesy."

Disassemble your pen and "accidentally" flip the ink cartridge across the room.

Holler random numbers while someone is counting.

Adjust the tint on your TV so that all the people are green, and insist to others that you "like it that way."

Drum on every available surface.

Staple papers in the middle of the page.

Write the surprise ending to a novel on its first page.

Set alarms for random times.

Change channels five minutes before the end of every show.

ONLY TYPE IN UPPERCASE.

only type in lowercase.

don’t use any punctuation either

Repeat everything someone says, as a question.

Repeat the following conversation a dozen times: "Do you hear that?" "What?" "Never mind, it's gone now."

Stand over someone's shoulder, mumbling, as they read.

Inform others that they exist only in your imagination.

Chew on pens that you've borrowed.

Wear a LOT of cologne.

Go to a poetry recital and ask why each poem doesn't rhyme.

Ask your co-workers mysterious questions, and then scribble their answers in a notebook. Mutter something about "psychological profiles."

Stare at static on the TV and claim you can see a "magic picture."

Select the same song on the jukebox fifty times.

Never make eye contact.

Never break eye contact.

Make appointments for the 31st of September.

Invite lots of people to other people's parties.

Demotivational Posters for Your Viewing Pleasure

2010-06-15T22:12:00.002-04:00

Homeless People Make Me Sad

2010-06-15T21:55:00.002-04:00

There are many things I love about being in the city. I love all the different stores and random shops. I love how if I'm craving a Starbucks, there's usually one right around the next corner. I like the museums, the parks, and more. There is one thing, however, that saddens me so much - seeing homeless people.

Granted, there are people who scam you by pretending to be homeless. But when you see a real homeless person, you know. It just strikes a nerve in me.

My boyfriend went to South Street a few months ago when it was still freezing outside. We parked the car and started walking. Well, we parked right next to this guy huddled on the steps. He had a coat overtop of him, sheltering himself from the cold. It broke my heart.

Then when I leave Joe's to go back to Pa, under the overpass near the toll booth to cross the Ben Franklin bridge there are mattresses with all kinds of people sleeping on them.

In the summer I don't think about them as often. But, when it's raining and/or cold, I can't seem to get homeless people or animals off my mind. I volunteer when I can, and always donate to various organizations, food drives, etc. But, this is bigger than myself.

Are we failing society by having so many homeless people? I know there are shelters for them to seek refuge. Do they not want to be helped?

I remember about 10 years ago I saw a very elderly man digging through the garbage. He smelled really bad and was unfortunately dirty. I had just visited the grocery store and had fruit. I tried to offer him some food, but he ran away with this horrible bewildered look on his face.

As many as 3.5 million people experience homelessness in a given year (1% of the entire U.S. population or 10% of its poor), and about 842,000 people in any given week, according to wikipedia. That is just sad! And that is just the United States. I am sure the number is much higher now since the economy has not exactly picked up.

I really wish that something could be done to rememdy the situation.

I always imagined a "cure" in my head. I pictured something similar to Section 8 housing - a small apartment. They don't even have to have their own appliances, maybe just a room and community kitchens, laundry rooms, whatever. They would stay there for free, until they find a job, then rent would be based on salary, and then would eventually work as a halfway house type thing until they are able to afford to live on their own.

It's just so tough, because it seems like a lot of homeless people suffer from some sort of mental disorder or have had to steal to survive for so long that it would be hard to break the habit.

So, is our solution to just give up on them until they succumb to the elements? ::sigh::

iPod Shuffle Survey #2

2010-06-12T22:41:00.002-04:00

Time to put the iPod on shuffle again....

How am I feeling today? "Crazy" -Aerosmith

How do my friends see me? Natural Blues" -Moby

What is my best friend's theme song? "A Milli" -Lil Wayne

What is the story of my life? "Tear it Up" -Young Jeezy

What is the best thing about me? "Everyday is Exactly the Same" -NIN

What is today going to be like? "I'm Fuckin You Tonite" Notorius BIG

What is in store for this week? "Throw it in the Bag" -Fabolous

What song describes my mom? "Bleeding Love" -Leona Lewis

What song describes my dad? "4 Minutes" -Madonna

How is my life going? "My Love is For Real" -Paula Abdul

What song will they play at my funeral? "We Danced" -Brad Paisley

How does the world see me? "Intergalactic" -Beastie Boys

Will I have a happy life? "For You I Will" -Monica

What do my friends really think of me? "Coco Jambo" -Mr President

How can I make myself happy? "What You Want" -Eve

What should I do with my life? "Turn the Page" -Metallica

What is some good advice for me? "Rock that Body" -Black Eyed Peas

How will i be remembered? "If I Had" -Eminem

What is my signature dancing song? "California Love" -Tupac

What is my current theme song? "It's On" -Korn

What does everyone else think my current theme song is? "Fantasy" -Mariah Carey

LIFE STORY:

Opening Credits: "Above and Below" -The Bravery

Waking Up: "Better in Time" -Leona Lewis

Falling In Love: "In da Club" - 50 Cent

Fight Song: "Bring Me to Life" -Evanescence

Mental Breakdown: "Honey" -Mariah Carey

Driving: "Freiflug" -Megaherz

Flashback: "1979" -Smashing Pumpkins

Wedding: "My Body" -Keith Sweat ...more like honeymoon - RAWR

Birth of Child: "Cry for You" -September

End Credits: "One More Try" -Timmy T

It Started With You

2010-06-12T22:28:00.001-04:00

La Vita Nuova

In that book which is
My memory . . .
On the first page
That is the chapter when
I first met you
Appear the words . . .
Here begins a new life

- Dante Alighieri

You Don't Control Me, Bitch

2010-06-12T20:23:00.003-04:00

"You are not worth the dust which the rude wind
Blows in your face." ~ King Lear, 4. 2

The world is full of such negativity. I refuse to succumb to any of it.

I will not be controlled by the hurtful things people have to say, their "negative nancy" ways of thinking. Seems like everyone has an opinion about everything.

First off, if I tell you something, I'm telling you because I consider you a friend, confidant, nice acquaintance, etc. It is not an open invitation to criticize every aspect of my life - that is my dad's job. Ha!

There are some people I really don't even want to associate with anymore, because no matter what they are negative about everything! Everything I do is wrong, my relationship is in turmoil, my boyfriend is cheating on me, I'm ungrateful for everything <-- Um, yea.

Go self fornicate.

For the record... my life is great! My boyfriend is great! So, save the gossip-mongering for someone else.