What is a good impersonal birthday gift? It would be for a female. We're more than acquaintances. Friendly. But not "pick up the phone/email regularly" friends. Friend of a friend but oodles of fun to hang out with when we happen to be at the same place at the same time.
For my birthday, she gave me a gift bag with Bath and Body Works lotion, an plug-in air freshener (what do I stink? ha), and something else that was little. So I need something equivelent to that level. Very impersonal because it's not really a point where we would normally give each other a gift, but still showing up with something.
All suggestions are welcome. Thanks!
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Daydreaming
Rain sucks! After all the rains we've had over the last couple of weeks, you'd think I should quit my job and start building an arc. So instead of dedicating an entire post to gripe about the weather, I will post about places I'd rather be or things I'd rather be doing. I figure that is more interesting than bitching :)
I'd rather be back in Peru riding horseback through the Sacred Valley and enjoying the landscapes of the Andes Mountains. Or I wouldn't mind...
...being in one of these resort houses in Tahiti. How effing nice would it be to have a stairway that led into that gorgeous water?!?!?! I've never been to Tahiti, but this pictures gives me reason to hope and pray I make it there one day.
On a less worldly travel note, I could easily be satisfied just snuggling and napping with Baby all day. I took this picture of him a couple of years ago when he fell asleep watching football. Awww.... 
Something I've always wanted to do is zipwire through the Costa Rican rainforest. How adventurous would that be?!?! To see such lush vegetation untouched by humans would be amazing. I wonder if there really is a cure for cancer lurking somewhere in all that forestry in some plant yet to be discovered.
I'd also rather be taking golf lessons right about now. I wish this sport wasn't so expensive to try to get into - golf clubs are not cheap and neither are hourly lessons or simply the cost of playing 18-holes. Baby plays on ocassion with coworkers but primarily with Noodle and Grove. I use to play a bit here and there, and even took a course in college. Not that I want to be a pro-golfer or anything, but I would like to be able to hold my own should the challenge present itself.
I would even prefer to be at the gym right now running like a hamster. I've been so off the healthy wagon lately that I feel pretty guilty. Maybe if I stayed in my routine, I'd be as thin as this skinny bitch in the picture.
I would also love to be visiting with old friends. Here are me, Sparky, and Doc last January in Birmingham celebrating Sparky's 30th birthday. This is the last photo taken of the three of us (*sniffle*). I see Doc every now and then, but definitely not enough. Sparky has been doing the new baby thing, so he's been out of pocket. Me in Texas, Doc in New York, and Sparky in Georgia makes for difficult planning.
I'd rather be back in Peru riding horseback through the Sacred Valley and enjoying the landscapes of the Andes Mountains. Or I wouldn't mind... ...being in one of these resort houses in Tahiti. How effing nice would it be to have a stairway that led into that gorgeous water?!?!?! I've never been to Tahiti, but this pictures gives me reason to hope and pray I make it there one day. On a less worldly travel note, I could easily be satisfied just snuggling and napping with Baby all day. I took this picture of him a couple of years ago when he fell asleep watching football. Awww.... Something I've always wanted to do is zipwire through the Costa Rican rainforest. How adventurous would that be?!?! To see such lush vegetation untouched by humans would be amazing. I wonder if there really is a cure for cancer lurking somewhere in all that forestry in some plant yet to be discovered. I'd also rather be taking golf lessons right about now. I wish this sport wasn't so expensive to try to get into - golf clubs are not cheap and neither are hourly lessons or simply the cost of playing 18-holes. Baby plays on ocassion with coworkers but primarily with Noodle and Grove. I use to play a bit here and there, and even took a course in college. Not that I want to be a pro-golfer or anything, but I would like to be able to hold my own should the challenge present itself.I would even prefer to be at the gym right now running like a hamster. I've been so off the healthy wagon lately that I feel pretty guilty. Maybe if I stayed in my routine, I'd be as thin as this skinny bitch in the picture.My gluttoness side would much rather be stuffing my face full of cholesterol-ridden lobster. OMG! So yummy!!! Why does everything so tasty have to be so unhealthy?
I would also love to be visiting with old friends. Here are me, Sparky, and Doc last January in Birmingham celebrating Sparky's 30th birthday. This is the last photo taken of the three of us (*sniffle*). I see Doc every now and then, but definitely not enough. Sparky has been doing the new baby thing, so he's been out of pocket. Me in Texas, Doc in New York, and Sparky in Georgia makes for difficult planning.
Hanging out with my very cool 2-1/2 year old niece is pretty fun, too. Note the leapord-print shades and pouty "I know I'm the shiznits" lip. Nothing like an afternoon of singing Disney songs with her...seriously...I knew just about every song even before she was born. Now I get to use all this senseless knowledge on someone who appreciates it :)
So where would you rather be?
Monday, June 18, 2007
Weekend Review: Thursday thru Friday
I know the weekend doesn't technically start until Friday evening, but I had an early start on Thursday. Thursday night was the first night in a long time that I did NOT have to work at Job #2. Granted, the main reason I took a day off was because a co-worker/friend was having his last hurrah in Houston as he quits his job this week, takes the rest of the summer to travel to Russia and Europe, and then hunker down to attend graduate school at Harvard Business School. Yay for him! If only I were that smart!!! I know I'm no dummy and am extremely witty and wonderful, but Harvard smart? I'm realistic enough to know that is out of this Asian-who-hates-any-form-of-mathematics' reach.
I started off with what was suppose to be a quick happy hour drink with Grove at Front Porch in Midtown prior to the heading to Fedora Lounge where Harvard's get-together was to take place. Noodle met up with us right about the time when the skies open up. I was trapped at FP until the rain broke. What else is there to do when you're with two of your favorite guys in the world (outside of Baby and Doc, of course) in a bar??? You guessed it...ordered a pitiful excuse for a medium pizza that literally could've only been served at a bar, another bucket of beer and squeezed in Rumplemints (sp?) shots - YIKES! It was still daylight and no need for shots, but the deed could not be undone - Grove was on a mission to order them. It set the tone for what was to be an evil evening on a school night.
Slightly tipsy but nowhere near drunk yet (thank GAWD), the rain let up so I was able to pick up Midtowner and head to Fedora Lounge. Fedora was packed with that typical crew who were Harvard's friends and acquaintances - young professionals, primarily men, all successful and some actually pretty good-looking. There were a few women sprinkled here and there, but the odds were definitely 4:1 in our favor. Although I have Baby, it's always fun to accompany my single girlfriends like Midtowner to "quality" meat markets such as these and watch her prowess in the hunt. Two Dewars and Sodas later, we hopped back into the car to meet back up with Noodle and Grove back in Midtown at FP again. They had a few other friends with them this time as we all eventually made our way to Pub Fiction then Swizzle. When it was all said and done, I awoke the next morning at 6am to an annoying blackberry alarm reminding me to get off of Midtowner's couch and hurry home to change and be at work by 8. LORD! What possessed us to be so ridiculous?!?! I think I had a momentary lapse in realization that I am already 30 years old and NOT 20 years old.
Dragging ass at work on Friday, Baby and I decided over the phone that the weekend getaway, be it San Antonio or New Orleans, was literally a "wash." Too much rain concerned me that the flights would be delayed, cancelled, or overall just a mess. We decided to stay in town and enjoy the comforts of partying with friends we haven't had a chance to party with all together in a while. Very fun, but again a VERY bad idea.
Baby and I had a phenomenal dinner at Ruth's Chris - he had some steak while I had Chilean Sea Bass topped with lump crabmeat and lobster butter sauce. Delish! Afterwards, we met up with Thai and Brit (one of our favorite couples - she is from Thailand, he is from Britain) at Fedora Lounge (again!). We were later joined by Noodle, Grove, Midtowner, and Rep. We then eventually made our way to The Heights' at the newer trendy bar out there called Kobain. Not sure if it's after Curt Kobain, but I do know they play a lot of rock music versus all the booty shaking/rap/pop stuff you hear everywhere else. Too many drinks, an overflowing amount of shots, and a bar tab that was astronimical later...we headed back to Baby's place for some afterhours drinking and dancing in the living room. Yes, it was like we were reliving college all over again. Ridiculous. Needless to say, I woke up to the a frightful kitchen decorated in an array of empty beer bottles, beer cans, half-empty cups, tumblers, wine glasses, and a few bottles of liquor and wine strategically placed all around the house - basically, the scene from Animal House. Lucky for Baby that I can't stand to see such filth and cleaned it all up by the time he, Noodle, and Grove had awaken from their drunken slumber.
Saturday was spent sitting on the couch watching the Bond movie Casino Royale (which by the way is VERY good), falling in and out of sleep to the Golf U.S. Open, making a quaint little fajita dinner at home, and then ending the night by watching Smokin' Aces (which is also a badass movie!!!).
Sunday was boring. More watching Tiger lose to some no-name from Argentina and recovering from Friday night. Then, at 6:00pm, I headed to Job #2 to work my shift at 6:30pm. Yes, I work Sunday nights again...ugh! Oh, well...
I started off with what was suppose to be a quick happy hour drink with Grove at Front Porch in Midtown prior to the heading to Fedora Lounge where Harvard's get-together was to take place. Noodle met up with us right about the time when the skies open up. I was trapped at FP until the rain broke. What else is there to do when you're with two of your favorite guys in the world (outside of Baby and Doc, of course) in a bar??? You guessed it...ordered a pitiful excuse for a medium pizza that literally could've only been served at a bar, another bucket of beer and squeezed in Rumplemints (sp?) shots - YIKES! It was still daylight and no need for shots, but the deed could not be undone - Grove was on a mission to order them. It set the tone for what was to be an evil evening on a school night.
Slightly tipsy but nowhere near drunk yet (thank GAWD), the rain let up so I was able to pick up Midtowner and head to Fedora Lounge. Fedora was packed with that typical crew who were Harvard's friends and acquaintances - young professionals, primarily men, all successful and some actually pretty good-looking. There were a few women sprinkled here and there, but the odds were definitely 4:1 in our favor. Although I have Baby, it's always fun to accompany my single girlfriends like Midtowner to "quality" meat markets such as these and watch her prowess in the hunt. Two Dewars and Sodas later, we hopped back into the car to meet back up with Noodle and Grove back in Midtown at FP again. They had a few other friends with them this time as we all eventually made our way to Pub Fiction then Swizzle. When it was all said and done, I awoke the next morning at 6am to an annoying blackberry alarm reminding me to get off of Midtowner's couch and hurry home to change and be at work by 8. LORD! What possessed us to be so ridiculous?!?! I think I had a momentary lapse in realization that I am already 30 years old and NOT 20 years old.
Dragging ass at work on Friday, Baby and I decided over the phone that the weekend getaway, be it San Antonio or New Orleans, was literally a "wash." Too much rain concerned me that the flights would be delayed, cancelled, or overall just a mess. We decided to stay in town and enjoy the comforts of partying with friends we haven't had a chance to party with all together in a while. Very fun, but again a VERY bad idea.
Baby and I had a phenomenal dinner at Ruth's Chris - he had some steak while I had Chilean Sea Bass topped with lump crabmeat and lobster butter sauce. Delish! Afterwards, we met up with Thai and Brit (one of our favorite couples - she is from Thailand, he is from Britain) at Fedora Lounge (again!). We were later joined by Noodle, Grove, Midtowner, and Rep. We then eventually made our way to The Heights' at the newer trendy bar out there called Kobain. Not sure if it's after Curt Kobain, but I do know they play a lot of rock music versus all the booty shaking/rap/pop stuff you hear everywhere else. Too many drinks, an overflowing amount of shots, and a bar tab that was astronimical later...we headed back to Baby's place for some afterhours drinking and dancing in the living room. Yes, it was like we were reliving college all over again. Ridiculous. Needless to say, I woke up to the a frightful kitchen decorated in an array of empty beer bottles, beer cans, half-empty cups, tumblers, wine glasses, and a few bottles of liquor and wine strategically placed all around the house - basically, the scene from Animal House. Lucky for Baby that I can't stand to see such filth and cleaned it all up by the time he, Noodle, and Grove had awaken from their drunken slumber.
Saturday was spent sitting on the couch watching the Bond movie Casino Royale (which by the way is VERY good), falling in and out of sleep to the Golf U.S. Open, making a quaint little fajita dinner at home, and then ending the night by watching Smokin' Aces (which is also a badass movie!!!).
Sunday was boring. More watching Tiger lose to some no-name from Argentina and recovering from Friday night. Then, at 6:00pm, I headed to Job #2 to work my shift at 6:30pm. Yes, I work Sunday nights again...ugh! Oh, well...
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Happy Belated Birthday to MADAME!
I totally forgot to post this yesterday, but I wanted to tell Madame--
Not only did I miss the Vegas festivities, I also forgot to give her a shoutout on her actual birthday yesterday. Apparently, I suck!
So Happy Birthday to you...and my doggie (since you share the same birthday...hehehe)!!!!
Not only did I miss the Vegas festivities, I also forgot to give her a shoutout on her actual birthday yesterday. Apparently, I suck!
So Happy Birthday to you...and my doggie (since you share the same birthday...hehehe)!!!!
Retro pic...too many drinks at Pocahontas and J.Smith's Going Away Party last year...typical.
SATX v. NOLA
As you all know, I made reservations for San Antonio for the weekend for Baby's birthday. We're suppose to do The Riverwalk thing and simply just be together for a couple of days away from Houston. I noticed on the weather websites that rain is expected ALL weekend. Maybe not much, but enough to make trekking from the hotel to any of the historical sights and The Riverwalk somewhat inconvenient. Nor would we get to use the rooftop pool and hot tubs the hotel we're staying at is popular for - the only ones in the downtown SA area. That would suck! No point paying the slight upcharge in hotel difference for that amenity if we can't use it :(
So, I tried to develop a back-up plan. I came up with New Orleans. It's still close enough that it's a short flight back home and (worse comes to worse) driveable with a rental car should we not be able to get a flight back on short notice if my sister goes into labor while we're gone. I'm hoping she can hold out until after the weekend, but no matter how much I've negotiated with my unborn nephew through my sister's belly, he refuses to give me a direct answer.
I haven't been to NOLA post-Hurricane Katrina. I hear that as long as we stay near the French Quarter, which was pretty much untouched by the rains, we'll be alright. The rest of NOLA, however, still looks like Bagdhad. So my plan is to stay at Loews New Orleans Hotel. I would never have picked this place thinking it would be over budget for a quick weekend getaway because it is uber nice...5-Star, I think. However, there is an awesome deal on Hotels.com that I plan to jump on once I confirm with Baby that this destination is ok with him. I figure that since this hotel is only 3 blocks from the French Quarter, we are still walking distance from everything but not in the middle of the craziness. Also, Harrah's Casino is directly across the street. If we get rained out while we are there (which looks like may also be the case), at least Baby can gamble away to his hearts content at the poker tables...while I, on the other hand, will enjoy the free beverages until my face is smooshed and passed out onto a slot machine. Since Baby LOVES gambling and it IS his birthday trip, accessibility to Harrah's is the closest thing to taking him to Vegas - which I said was out of the question since I'm on Baby Watch. We can even set up a couples massage at the hotel spa to give us something to do indoors if it really turns out to be washout weather. Whatever the case, I'm seeing a little more fun in our options with the New Orleans idea even though I generally am not impressed by that city.
What's keeping me from finalizing NOLA as our destination this weekend is that the hotel in NOLA has a 72-hr cancellation policy. If I book now and can't make it because of my nephew's debut into the world, I get charged for it. So, I'm going to hold off until tomorrow night to make those reservations. I still have the SA hotel reservations since cancellation is 6pm the same day of arrival for that one just in case. I'll cancel those the second I get the NOLA hotel confirmed. GAWD! This little runt is ruling my life, and he hasn't even been born yet! JEEZ!
So, I tried to develop a back-up plan. I came up with New Orleans. It's still close enough that it's a short flight back home and (worse comes to worse) driveable with a rental car should we not be able to get a flight back on short notice if my sister goes into labor while we're gone. I'm hoping she can hold out until after the weekend, but no matter how much I've negotiated with my unborn nephew through my sister's belly, he refuses to give me a direct answer.
I haven't been to NOLA post-Hurricane Katrina. I hear that as long as we stay near the French Quarter, which was pretty much untouched by the rains, we'll be alright. The rest of NOLA, however, still looks like Bagdhad. So my plan is to stay at Loews New Orleans Hotel. I would never have picked this place thinking it would be over budget for a quick weekend getaway because it is uber nice...5-Star, I think. However, there is an awesome deal on Hotels.com that I plan to jump on once I confirm with Baby that this destination is ok with him. I figure that since this hotel is only 3 blocks from the French Quarter, we are still walking distance from everything but not in the middle of the craziness. Also, Harrah's Casino is directly across the street. If we get rained out while we are there (which looks like may also be the case), at least Baby can gamble away to his hearts content at the poker tables...while I, on the other hand, will enjoy the free beverages until my face is smooshed and passed out onto a slot machine. Since Baby LOVES gambling and it IS his birthday trip, accessibility to Harrah's is the closest thing to taking him to Vegas - which I said was out of the question since I'm on Baby Watch. We can even set up a couples massage at the hotel spa to give us something to do indoors if it really turns out to be washout weather. Whatever the case, I'm seeing a little more fun in our options with the New Orleans idea even though I generally am not impressed by that city.
What's keeping me from finalizing NOLA as our destination this weekend is that the hotel in NOLA has a 72-hr cancellation policy. If I book now and can't make it because of my nephew's debut into the world, I get charged for it. So, I'm going to hold off until tomorrow night to make those reservations. I still have the SA hotel reservations since cancellation is 6pm the same day of arrival for that one just in case. I'll cancel those the second I get the NOLA hotel confirmed. GAWD! This little runt is ruling my life, and he hasn't even been born yet! JEEZ!
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
I know I shouldn't, BUT...
*****I decided to remove this post and save it offline just in case "someone" finds me the same way I found them. Thanks to all of you for letting me rant because it was just such a "you've got to be kidding!" story.*****
Monday, June 11, 2007
Happy Birthday, BABY!!!!
Today is the celebration of Baby's 32nd year of life on this planet. Makes me feel young and vibrant...somewhat of the spring chicken nature compared to his two-year headstart over me into decrepit-ness. In all seriousness, when I think of Baby and myself getting another year older, sometimes I do think we have (dare I say it) grown up over the last year like staying in on Friday nights watching cooking shows that he's Tivo'ed so that we can plan what gourmet meal we're making for Saturday. And, then of course we start doing things that make me wonder if we'll ever grow up like going to a toy store to buy gifts for 2-year-old niece and end up playing with all the games ourselves and tossing footballs back and forth down the aisles much to the store workers' dismay. I suppose the give and take of that nature will keep us from becoming too boring and tired too quickly (*crossing my fingers*).
--
In the past year, Baby and I have gone through a lot that has made our relationship take on a new meaning for me. As many of you know, we hit a major rough patch last fall. One that I personally believed was my rebirth into being single and fabulous. Just when I was at a point of moving forward with my life, somehow he kept showing back up to remind me how much life was sadder and much more empty without him. I use to think, "DAMN HIM!" But now, I want to say "Thank you" for doing that. Eventually, we worked out our differences and decided that what we had was worth putting our guards down (or at least my guard) and giving it a second shot. I am extremely glad we did. Otherwise, I wouldn't have him in my life today...and the thought of that really disheartens me. Although there are times that his points of view have me scratching my head, there are the times we're together and nothing else matters that more than make up for that. We obviously understand we will never see eye-to-eye on everything because we're both in our 30's and pretty set in our ways, but our fundamental beliefs about life, love, and family are the same. Now that is what is EXTREMELY important. If you're ever around Baby and me, many of you will see that he is the yin to my yang, the light to my dark, and that we're truly a testament to opposites attracting. But through all of that (and the ever-so-infamous bitching I'm good at), in the end, we really do just "click."
--
So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Baby!!! And, I love you!
Here we are in Las Vegas for Pharmacist and Medic's wedding almost 2 years ago
There you have it...me being somewhat mushy. I think Diana Banana is rubbing off on me with all her sweet talk about Chris.... ugh! ;)
~~~*~~~
Friday, June 08, 2007
Friday Entertainment
I am suppose to leave for Las Vegas tonight for Madame's 40th birthday celebration. Woohoo! However, there have been some bumps in the road. I'm hoping I can meet up with them this weekend regardless. Since I am super busy today, I can't really get to the nitty gritty of posting, so I thought I would leave you with this little clip. I will post again soon...promise.
Noodle sent it to me earlier this week, and I found it so funny that I forwarded it to Doc and asked him what his parents' deductible was. HAHAHAHA!
Noodle sent it to me earlier this week, and I found it so funny that I forwarded it to Doc and asked him what his parents' deductible was. HAHAHAHA!
Monday, June 04, 2007
Could there be any more birthdays?!?!?!
As much as I love a good reason to eat, drink, and be merry, I've decided that birthdays are going to be the death of me. My jam-packed calendar of birthdays, anniversaries, and major parties began in mid-March and will extend until the end of this month. With each month containing at least 4 events/parties/get-togethers I had to attend (yes, had to, or I would've been run over by a car if I decided to no-show). Throw in a vacation to Peru, and there we have a recipe for my being run ragged. This month is no different from the last. My brother's birthday is tomorrow (we celebrated this past weekend), Madame's birthday is being celebrated this weekend in Vegas (5th annual 35th birthday!), Baby's birthday is on June 11th, my sister is due to give birth to my nephew on June 15th (which, btw, is also my parents' anniversary), two going away parties for friends going off to Harvard and UT for business school, and my sister rounding out the month with her birthday on June 22nd.
July, August, and September are my off months of no birthdays or major activities. I've decided that I am not allowed to make new friends between now and November for fear they may have a birthday, a wedding, or a birth of a child that falls in those months. Jeez!
Speaking of birthdays, as I mentioned previously, Baby's birthday is right around the corner. I haven't decided what to get him or if we should just take a day trip somewhere. Part of me is mortified at the thought of traveling somewhere since I just got back from a vacation and have yet to fully recuperate. Although, I thought it would be very romantic to go to San Antonio for one night - fly up Saturday morning, sightsee a bit (haven't been to The Alamo since I was 8 years old), do the Riverwalk thing, have dinner and drinks, spend the night somewhere along the Riverwalk, and head home the next morning.
When Baby and I first started seeing each other on a level as more than just friends, we kept it very hush-hush by not telling our friends of the times we went out and even took a weekend getaway to San Antonio together. We did meet up with some of Baby's friends who were there on business from Florida, but we never told our friends here in Houston that I accompanied him. For all they knew, I had to work that weekend...which, at the time, was usually the case. Because we still weren't sure where our relationship was headed, we didn't think we needed to get our friends' hopes up (or down) about whether or not Rice Spice and Baby were going to be something exclusively official. Eventually, we went public with our relationship when (a) our friends started to put two and two together and (b) we decided that we really did care about each other and wanted to pursue the relationship further. So in a way, this trip to San Antonio would be nostalgic to the very first time we went somewhere together...on our secret rendez vous...hehehe.
If I decide not to do the San Antonio thing, I'm at a loss for gift ideas. Again, what do you give the guy who has everything?
July, August, and September are my off months of no birthdays or major activities. I've decided that I am not allowed to make new friends between now and November for fear they may have a birthday, a wedding, or a birth of a child that falls in those months. Jeez!
Speaking of birthdays, as I mentioned previously, Baby's birthday is right around the corner. I haven't decided what to get him or if we should just take a day trip somewhere. Part of me is mortified at the thought of traveling somewhere since I just got back from a vacation and have yet to fully recuperate. Although, I thought it would be very romantic to go to San Antonio for one night - fly up Saturday morning, sightsee a bit (haven't been to The Alamo since I was 8 years old), do the Riverwalk thing, have dinner and drinks, spend the night somewhere along the Riverwalk, and head home the next morning.
When Baby and I first started seeing each other on a level as more than just friends, we kept it very hush-hush by not telling our friends of the times we went out and even took a weekend getaway to San Antonio together. We did meet up with some of Baby's friends who were there on business from Florida, but we never told our friends here in Houston that I accompanied him. For all they knew, I had to work that weekend...which, at the time, was usually the case. Because we still weren't sure where our relationship was headed, we didn't think we needed to get our friends' hopes up (or down) about whether or not Rice Spice and Baby were going to be something exclusively official. Eventually, we went public with our relationship when (a) our friends started to put two and two together and (b) we decided that we really did care about each other and wanted to pursue the relationship further. So in a way, this trip to San Antonio would be nostalgic to the very first time we went somewhere together...on our secret rendez vous...hehehe.
If I decide not to do the San Antonio thing, I'm at a loss for gift ideas. Again, what do you give the guy who has everything?
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