Happy Halloween!!!

Happy Halloween everyone!!!

While Dave was in Vegas last weekend doing some bible readings, knitting sweaters, scrapbooking and watching Michael Jackson impersonators for his friend’s bachelor party (who am I kidding? It was a weekend full of boobies galore!) I was at my cousin Trully’s house carving pumpkins with the cousins.

It is now our annual pumpkin carving night, and we had pizza, calamari, and pumpkin pie to fill our bellies while we carved out our pumpkins. For anyone that’s never done it before, it’s quite a workout! I don’t know how anyone can expect a little kid to do it, it takes a lot of arm strength.

Our new little baby, Kenzo, dressed up in his lion costume that he wore earlier in the day at the zoo halloween fest they attended. You could tell that he wasn’t happy at all to be in the stuffy costume, but he was so adorable!

Here’s a couple pics from the night:

Kenzo-Lion
Kenzo is grouchy in his costume!

Haunted Castle
Fatima’s spooky castle

Werewolf
Maui’s Werewolf

Wicked!
Marlon’s “Wicked” pumpkin

Ghoul Quartet
Melanie and Jerome’s gaggle of ghouls

Mini Ghoul
Trully, Claudine and Melanie’s lone ghost

Howling at the Moon
The howling wolf that Claudine and I made

Pumpkin Innards
Pumpkin guts! Eew…

Live, from the SFO Airport!

I’m at the San Francisco airport right now on a layover, munching on sushi and reveling in my wi-fi connection. Won’t get home tomorrow til 5am! *yawns*

If you’re on IM right now, feel free to chat because I’ll be bored…

Here’s a post I wrote yesterday, but my internet connection died before I could post it….

——————————-

Their Lives Are In My Hands

Usually when I travel, I get a car, an intermediate size, if it’s available, usually something like a Pontiac Grand Am or a Taurus or something.

Since my flight came in late on Monday, the only car they had left was a Chrysler Sebring convertible. I haven’t driven a convertible since the sister vacation to Orlando, when we got that smoking Firebird convertible and I got pulled over by the cops. But I was pretty stoked to get one this time around, because I’m in California. Then again, I really haven’t had a chance to bring the top down, but hey, at least I know I have that ability, right?

Normally when I’m at a client site, for lunch I either go with my clients to the cafeteria or go off on my own for lunch. Sometimes I go out to lunch with the clients and they drive me to wherever we’re eating.

However, this client doesn’t have a cafe, and their parking lot is pretty huge, so it’s a long walk to any of their cars. Since I’m a visitor, I get parking right in front of the building. So they suggested that I drive.

I admit, I’m not the best driver in the world. When I’m on my own, I’m pretty confident, but when there are other people in the car, it makes me nervous. I mean, I’m responsible for their lives! Especially with clients. How am I going to explain it to my manager if something happens? “Hey, I’m sorry, but I killed a client the other day…” I find it weird that my clients trust me with their lives, especially since I don’t know the area too well and they’re telling me directions.

Of course, I could look at it the positive way and say that this is because they like me and trust me. Well, I’m pretty sure they like me - they’ve signed up for another week of consulting from me, just to hang out while they test the product.

Which makes me extra careful when driving - I mean, who would I come back to if they’re in the hospital becauase of my bad driving?
:-P

Only 183 Days to Go!

I’ve got my little baby countdown going on up here, which seems to be required for any blog of a woman who is expecting a child. So you all can keep track of my li’l one just like I am.

Question: Are you guys seeing it with a white background, or is it clear? The reason I ask is that if anyone is using a darker layout, they can’t see the text…

I’m Not Fat, I’m Pregnant!

I have been waiting for a long time to say that!

When my mother passed away 2 years ago, I was at an all time post-college weight low. Having lived in California for several months and being fortunate enough to have a 3 month contract at a client site with a sushi restaurant (and they paid for my dinners), I had lost a lot of the weight that I had gained after college.

But when my mother passed away, there was that whole week of family coming over and bringing food. Who could say no to all that delicious Filipino food? I gained 5lbs that week, and over the next couple years, gained about 15 more. I hit my personal weight high mark sometime this year. I’ve tried exercising more, but anyone who knows me know that if it isn’t dancing, then I’m not going to like exercising. I just didn’t have the drive to exercise or control my appetite - it comforted me, it was a way for me to deal with stress.

Of course, when I started feeling fat and my belly was getting a bit chubby, I suspected that I might be pregnant. That would certainly explain the extra pounds. A pregancy test later, I discovered, no, that was not the case. I wasn’t pregnant, I was just fat.

But now, hey! I’m not fat! I’m pregnant. At least that’s the excuse I can use for the next 6 months. Then it’s up in the air as to how much weight I’ll really have to lose to get to my ideal, healthy weight. The sad thing is that currently people who see me wouldn’t think that I was pregnant, strangers would think, “Aww, look at that chubby Asian girl! She should stop eating that carnitas burrito and go for the salad!” Hopefully in a month or so, I’ll get more of that “pregnant” look.

Funny thing is, during the 1st and 2nd month of pregnancy, I actually lost about 6 pounds. I hadn’t increased my food intake, so I guess that little embryo was just sucking up all my weight and converting it into baby growing energy. Of course, once I realized I was with child I started eating like there was no tomorrow, so I gained it back in the last month.

Don’t worry, all, once I get home I’ll take some pictures so you can see me in all my knocked up chubbiness!

The Power of One

I’m in Santa Barbara right now, and I was shocked to get on the internet and see this headline:

Civil Rights Pioneer Rosa Parks Dies at 92

I had to pause for a moment, realizing that I always thought of her as this constant, this icon that lived out in Detroit, that was the spark that lit the fire of the civil rights movement, with just one action - refusing to give her seat to a white man.

You know, people often say, “What can I do? I’m just one person…” Rosa Parks is the proof that one person standing up for what she thinks is right, can change society. She didn’t use violence, she didn’t make long speeches whining about inequality, she just refused to give up her seat. But that action started a bus boycott that began the civil rights movement.

Even after that, she led the rest of her life in the quest to teach the youth of America about civil rights, and to turn them into future leaders.

When South African freedom icon Nelson Mandela came to Detroit in 1990, the person he was most honored to meet was Parks. When he got off the plane, a line of dignitaries waited to greet him. Mandela simply stood in awe when he saw Parks. “He chanted, ‘Rosa, Rosa, Rosa Parks!’.” recalled Keith, who had escorted her to the airport to meet Mandela.

“He recognized her before he recognized anyone,” Keith said.

Mandela later told Keith that Parks was his inspiration while he was jailed and her example inspired South African freedom fighters.

Mandela called Parks “the David who challenged Goliath” in a 1993 speech at the NAACP convention in Indianapolis.

The best-selling poet and writer Maya Angelou said of her, “Mrs. Parks is for me probably what the Statute of Liberty was for immigrants. She stood for the future, and the better future.”

Angelou recalled the pleasure of having Parks as a guest at her home in Winston-Salem, N.C., several years ago.

“She was as tender as a rose and she was as strong as steel.”
Detroit Free Press

Such a small woman, such a kind, gentle face, such a strong, fighting spirit inside. Who would have known?

Rest in peace, Rosa…and thank you.

April 28th, 2006

Remember that day, my friends.

I’m not usually one who thinks too much about what’s going to happen in the future, but in this case I’m going to.

It’s a really important day.

What’s happening that day?

Nothing big. It’ll be pretty small actually.

But it’s important. Probably the most important thing to happen to me.

April 28th, 2006.

The day our baby is supposed to be born.

Yes! I’m pregnant! Knocked up! Having a bun in the oven! With child!

To tell the truth, I’ve been hiding it from you all since labor day. Dave and I actually waited for the first trimester to tell our family and friends (though we told our immediate family immediately). We wanted to make sure everything was ok until we spread the good news.

But it’s been hard not to talk about it, since it’s pretty much been ruling my life for these last three months. Though I haven’t actually thrown up, I’ve had “morning sickness”, which actually has been afternoon sickness. I’d get nauseous at around 3pm and stay that way until about 7. It wasn’t fun! I was also the most tired I’d ever been! I would be tired from morning til night, falling asleep at around 8 or 9 pm many days, way before my usual bedtime of 1 or 2 am. Luckily, I’ve been able to work from home, so I wasn’t annoying my coworkers with my sickness or bugging them about eating food (which I can’t get enough of now). When I was at the office, I’d be asking them if they were ready to go out for lunch at around 10am. I’d eat, and 3 hours later my stomach would be growling again!

Of course, we’re ecstatic, and the family is so happy. This will be the first grandchild for both of our families, so everyone has been anticipating this for a long time. My cousin just had a baby, and another friend of mine is just about to have a baby, so our baby will have many people to play with.

So, just to let you know, many of the posts you’ll see here in the next 6 or so months will be pregnancy-related, because let me tell ya, there’s SO much to talk/complain about. I haven’t been posting here as much lately is because I’ve been so tired that I’ve hardly even been surfing the web (I know, THAT’S a surprise!)

Hopefully now that I’m in my second trimester, I’ll have more energy and won’t feel as pukey.

Now I have to get one of those baby countdown things for the top of my blog!

I’m gonna be a mommy!!!

Don’t Forget!

Hey! Don’t forget to click on the link on the left (or right, depending on which layour you’re using) to help fund a free mammogram! Click once to go to the page, and click again on the main page of the site to make your click count.

Comcast Music Choice

Not only do we get “On Demand” with our Comcast cable, where we can watch any movies that HBO is currently showing as well as the latest episodes for many cable shows, we also get something called “Music Choice”, which is a bunch of music channels, like “Solid Gold Oldies”, “’80’s”, “Adult Alternative”, “Classic R&B”, “Radio Disney” and “Showtunes”. Since I’m working tonight (working on an west coast client’s database and had to wait til after hours) and Dave’s in the room studying with me, we decided to “listen” to the tv. Today’s selection is “Party Favorites”. I’ll give you the playlist as it goes along:


“Gonna Make You Sweat” - C + C Music Factory
“She Drives Me Crazy” - Fine Young Cannibals

OK, Dave’s a bastard and crashed my party - he changed it to ’90’s. Flake!

“Too Close” - Next (can you believe this song was in 1997?)
“Tears in Heaven” - Eric Clapton

After much complaining, I get my “Party Favorites” music channel back. It’s like a blast from the past!

“All Star” - Smash Mouth
“It’s Raining Men” - The Weather Girls
“I’m Gonna Get You” - Bizarre, Inc.
“You Keep Me Hanging On” - Kim Wilde
“Wanna be Startin’ Something” - Michael Jackson

This channel rocks!

….more to come….

40 Things That Only Happen In Movies

Got this from Linda….I love lists like this!!!

40 Things That Only Happen In Movies

1. It is always possible to find a parking spot directly outside or opposite the building you are visiting.

2. When paying for a taxi, don’t look at your wallet as you take out a note. Just grab one out at random and hand it over. It will always be the exact fare.

3. Television news bulletins usually contain a story that affects you personally at the precise moment it’s aired.

4. Creepy music (or satanic chanting) coming from a graveyard should always be closely investigated.

5. Any lock can be picked with a credit card or paperclip in seconds. UNLESS it’s the door to a burning building with a child inside.

6. If you decide to start dancing in the street, everyone you bump into will know all the steps.

7. All bombs are fitted with electronic timing devices with large red digital displays so you know exactly when they are going to explode.

8. Should you wish to pass yourself off as a German officer, it will not be necessary to learn to speak German. Simply speaking English with a German accent will do. Similarly, when they are alone, all German soldiers prefer to speak English to each other.

9. Once applied, lipstick will never rub off. Even while scuba diving.

10. The Eiffel Tower can be seen from any window of any building in Paris.

11. Any police officer about to retire from the force will more often than not die on their last day (especially if their family have planned a party). (Caveat: Detectives can only solve a case after they have been suspended from duty).

12. Getaway cars never start first go. But all cop cars do. (They will also slide to a dramatic stop in the midst of a crime scene).

13. If staying in a haunted house, women should investigate any strange noises wearing their most revealing underwear.

14. On a police stake-out, the action will only ever take place when food is being consumed and scalding hot coffees are perched precariously on the dashboard . . .

15. All grocery shopping involves the purchase of French loaves which will be placed in open brown paper bags (Caveat: when said bags break, only fruit will spill out).

16. Cars never need fuel (unless they’re involved in a pursuit).

17. If you are heavily outnumbered in a fight involving martial arts, your opponents will wait patiently to attack you one by one by dancing around you in a threatening manner until you have defeated their predecessor.

18. If a microphone is turned on it will immediately feedback.

19. Guns are like disposable razors. If you run out of bullets, just throw the gun away. you will always find another one.

20. All single women have a cat.

21. Cars will explode instantly when struck by a single bullet.

22. No matter how savagely a spaceship is attacked, its internal gravity system is never damaged.

23. If being chased through a city you can usually take cover in a passing St Patrick’s Day parade - at any time of the year.

24. The ventilation system of any building is the perfect hiding place. Nobody will ever think of looking for you in there and you can travel to any other part of the building undetected.

25. You will survive any battle in any war UNLESS you show someone a picture of your sweetheart back home.

26. Prostitutes always look like Julia Roberts or Jamie Lee Curtis. They have expensive clothes and nice apartments but no pimps. They are friendly with the shopkeepers in their neighbourhood who don’t mind at all what the girl does for a living.

27. A single match is usually sufficient to light up a room the size of a football stadium.

28. It is not necessary to say “Hello” or “Goodbye” when beginning a telephone conversation. A disconnected call can always be restored by frantically beating the cradle and saying “Hello? Hello?” repeatedly.

29. One man shooting at 20 men has a better chance of killing them all than 20 men firing at once (it’s called Stallone’s Law).

30. When you turn out the light to go to bed, everything in you room will still be visible, just slightly bluish.

31. Plain or even ugly girls can become movie star pretty simply by removing their glasses and rearranging their hair.

32. Rather than wasting bullets, megalomaniacs prefer to kill their enemies with complicated devices incorporating fuses, pulleys, deadly gases, lasers and man-eating sharks.

33. All beds have special L-shaped sheets that reach to armpit level on a woman but only up to the waist of the man lying beside her.

34. Anyone can land a 747 as long as there is someone in the control tower to talk you down.

35. During all police investigations it will be necessary to visit a strip club at least once.

36. You can always find a chainsaw when you need one.

37. Most musical instruments (especially wind instruments and accordions) can be played without moving your fingers.

38. In Middle America, all gas station attendants have red handkerchiefs hanging out of their back pockets.

39. All teen house parties have one of every stereotypical subculture present (even people who aren’t liked and would never get invited to parties).

40. Trucks use their horns at random (no hang on, that happens in real life too!).

Hmm…I’m Trying to Remember

You know, I was on the train to work today, and I thought of this kickass post I’d make today. Something to make my readers ohh and ahh, to marvel at my cleverness, to amaze them with my deep thoughts.

…and I’ve forgotten it.

But I swear, it was going to be really good.

Oh well. Maybe next time.

It’s Wednesday! LOST is on tonight! Whee!!!!