Sexy Latinas In The City - DSW Manolos, Cosmos, Oh My!

Continued from previous post.....

Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, Samantha and myself were looking forward to dressing up and going to the Sex & the City 2 movie.  Yes, that's right....I said it....we were dressing up - like crazy teenagers going to "Faces" or "Avalon" in the 80s - we were going to do it up and do it right.  Some of us, like me had gotten new shoes - not Manolos mind you - but the next best thing that I could afford:

Others had bought new outfits like Miranda and Carrie.  And some had gotten accessories on our shopping excursions of the afternoon.  Either way, in Samantha's words in the movie, we were destined to look fabulous and we did.

And I was pleasantly surprised to see that we weren't the only ones that night.  We had pre-bought our tickets, taken two cabs to the cinema and walked in to find a line of women of all ages that looked similar to us - sexy women ready for this movie and ready for a night out of fun, drinks and laughter.  As we waited in line, I thought, we should commemorate this evening with our shoes:

After the movie, we all agreed - People magazine had it wrong (GASP!).  It was not a one star movie - it was FIVE stars and dare I say it, better than the first.  We laughed, we gasped, we got sentimental - bottomline, we could relate to each of these characters on different levels.  After the movie we headed to Asia de Cuba and ordered - yes, that's right, we ordered five cosmos:

From Cosmos to Champagne Cocktails amidst good food and great company we all decided - this was to be the first of many sexy latina trips to be had and couldn't wait to plan the next one!

Thanks Ladies!

Sexy Latinas In the City - Arrival In NY

Work has been the bain of my existence these past three weeks so please forgive the delay of my blogging which will definitely be picking up this week!

Three weeks ago....

Who is crazy enough to decide to follow a weeklong event, the largest event of the year with a girls weekend getaway? You guessed it….ME!   But it was all worth it from start to finish. The only thing that I would change - not take the red-eye on Friday to NY from Las Vegas – YUCK! Especially when there is no guarantee that your room at the hotel will be available – which was a double yuck for me since I had nothing to do for 3 hours until Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha arrived (changing names to protect the guilty – ha!).


This was our weekend to be away from husbands (Charlotte and Miranda) and to be away from reality (Carrie, Samantha, and myself). We had planned this weekend away back in March when the dates of the new Sex And The City Movie was released. So while I waited for the ladies to show up at the Grand Hyatt, I decided to not fall asleep in the lobby as tempting as it was but rather have a little breakfast and determine what to do with my three hour hotel layover.

The Lobby might as well have been little Spain as I met many women from Spain who ended up joining me for breakfast. They were very very simpatica but I was not exactly ready for socializing after my long week end long flight. Then I got a brilliant idea….why don’t I head to the gym?

Ok not exactly a brilliant idea but I could catch up on my Bravo Reality TV housewives while leisurely riding the bike or walking the treadmill. I had time on my hand after all. Now for those of you thinking that I am absolutely crazy…well, you are right? I mean who in their right mind would want to do this? Why do this on such little sleep? Well, I was trying to get over all the crap I had eaten….was the macaroni and cheese double helpings worth it? Hell yes! Do I still feel it on my thighs – well unfortunately yes – like I need Suzanne Somer’s Thigh Master yesterday!

Oh well, so I ended up staying at the gym for about 3 hours. Probably over did it, but it did pay off – I was now caught up with my reality TV and I got a little exercise in. And….my room was ready! Yeah for shower, yeah for rest….only it was a short rest. You forget how fast sexy latinas can drive when they are on a mission. They arrived 1 hour after I had gotten into the room and showered and put my feet up. Hey – I could have slept in the lobby, right? Right, my bad.

I was soooo happy to see them when they called and went to the lobby. They looked awesome and were ready to party – but food and then shopping came first. After all, priorities!!! Hello!!!

So after getting them checked in and then we found a street vendor festival right around the corner – 10 square blocks of clothes, jewelry and most importantly food – our kind of food – pollo, chicharrones, maiz en la barbacoa, and my personal favorite – arepas.

Have I told you that I am not a shopper? Though very tempted, I was trying to be good – food and shopping are definitely worthy vices, don’t you think? And my girlfriends are professionals when it comes to shopping – Music for Miranda, Hats for Charlotte, Samantha got as much as she could muster and Carrie – she got her much needed bag to ensure her outfit was complete.

Once we got back to the hotel, we realized that we only had about an hour to get ready. Dios Mio! Were we going to get dressed up for the movie and dinner and any other adventure thereafter? You bet your ass we were……..

To be continued......

Red Rock Canyon- Rescues, Lizards and Desert Sheep, Oh My

While I am not necessarily a nature enthusiast, I do love to hike when I am in Vegas.  However, I was not prepared for the excellent adventure that I was to experience yesterday while hiking for 4 hours in the desert sun of Red Rock canyon. 


First of all, it was a gorgeous day, it was a sunny 80 degrees with high winds - just the right temperature to get a good work out with minimal sweat - ha!  right!  I was a sweaty mess within the first 30 minutes but then again - I was there to get a good work out, right?  

THE RESCUE: My friend K and I decided to take a easy to moderate hike through the Pike Canyon trail and then our adventure began. We were following the trail into the meat of the canyon when we heard a helicopter fly over head.  As the helicopter slowed at a high peak, we thought, "They must be taking pictures of something there, maybe a herd of desert sheep."  But it wasn't that,  it was a rescue operation of people stranded on the top of one of the canyon peak.

Then they circled again, not once, not twice but three times to pick up more people.  We couldn't believe what we were seeing but so glad that they were safe and couldn't believe it happened during the first hour of our hike.


FREAK OUT:  I watch a lot of Investigative Discovery Channel, ID on the weekends.  I probably shouldn't watch those stories of murders in the wilderness, canyons, forests, etc. But I do because I have a morbid sense of curiousity.  As the Pike Canyon trail was peetering out, we came across an opening where three men came out of nowhere from a different trail.  We said hello and they went on their merry way.  My friend K got a weird vibe and after they passed, she asked me to stop so she could climb up on a boulder to make sure they went on their merry way.  My spidey sense was not up but I trusted her judgement and then realized, holy shit, we are in the middle of nowhere, on a meandering unmarked trail with no cell service.   But we were lucky and the men we saw, well, they did go on their merry way and so did we - we definitely turned around to go back to a better marked trail after seeing a beautiful waterfall in the desert! 

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, PART 1 - MATING LIZARDS:  After K and I decided to back track and try a better marked trail, we found the Knoll Trail that began with a steep incline and then a level path.  My knees were holding out pretty well and I was so glad to be on a better trail.  Plus it was such a beautiful day.  

As we headed up, K went, "Oh my god - Look!"  And there were two salmanders mating.  I turned my head because afterall, do you want to be watched during your private moments?  I wanted to give them privacy.  Not my friend K, she was fascinated, and kept saying, look how heavy he is breathing and the female was just laying there.  I felt bad for the female, she was stuck in an embrace in the bright sunshine of the trail.  After a bit, they kept on going and so did we.  As I stepped by them, the female salmander broke from the embrace and scooted into the brush.  K and I both thought the same thing, "your fate is sealed lady, you are off to motherhood :)"


NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, PART II - DESERT SHEEP:  The Knoll Trail was absolutely gorgeous and plush with vegetation.  I couldn't believe how green it was.  We were in hour 3 of our hike and neither of us were tired - instead K and I were enjoying catching up and dishing about our respective lives.  We stopped for a moment to get water, I was facing the trail and K was facing me, and then in a distance I saw them and said, "Oh my god, K - LOOK!" 

There were 8 desert sheep running straight towards the mountains one after the other.  Desert sheep with horns like rams.  She turned and it was if we were frozen in time.  We couldn't believe our luck and then we didn't know what to do as the 
sheep stopped, lined up and turned to face us.  I said, "Don't move."  

What does K do?  She moves to get her camera.  Then we saw more sheep who were behind us in a distance also not knowing what to do, they were looking at us and wondering what we would do next.  

K got her camera out and was able to snap some shots of this miraculous event.  Nothing happened to us except the wonderful feeling of experiencing something one never gets to see except if you are watching Discovery or National Geographic on TV.


As we headed back on the trail towards the car, we both couldn't believe all we had experienced on our 4 hour hike and will never forget this experience for as long as we live!

Ready for New Beginnings....

This week I had a facebook status that read "It's about that time...."  What time is it?  A time for new beginnings.  When 2010 opened, I made pact to myself to achieve the goals I set out for myself back in 2008.  That's right - 2008.  

MONEY: Financially, I am almost there to the great words of "debt-free" - woot woot.  A big thank you to the jars!!!!

WEIGHT: Well, let's just say I have plateaued since March as more and more work piled on as well as more travel.  This past week I started a low carb, high fiber diet.  Let's just say that may have not been the best decision with the stress-level that increased with each passing day - so much stress that my own body was reacting in ways that I didn't recognize.  But happily, things are back to normal today and I am back on track.

TRIATHLON TRAINING:  I started out strong a month ago only to lose focus these past 2 weeks.  This weekend I am back on it just in time to enter another busy season of travel and work.  I better get on it because when my travel is over in mid June, I will be a month out from the race.  Whew!  I am already tired just thinking about it.

PERSONAL LIFE:  I have to say that it is in times of stress that I feel the most fortunate to have the friends that I have surrounding me with love and support.  Not to mention, my friends have been completely understanding with the past several weeks of no-communication due to exhaustion.  Without them and my family, I couldn't have gotten over the disappointment of Friday when I found out some not so great news.   I got an expiration notice, also on Friday, for the events and adventures singles group.  Yes, I have been a member for a year.  I went to a couple of activities but couldn't relate to a group of divorcees that were in their 40s and 50s looking for friendships and potential life partners.  Plus it was expensive.  Yes, I am still a member of the online dating fun that I have been ignoring for the past several weeks after a couple of dates.  And besides all of this, I have been invited to two destination weddings and a baby shower before the end of the year.  I am happy for them, to be sure.  It's just getting a little harder to get through them is all with each passing year.  I mean, really, will I be 40 doing the same thing in a couple of years?  You never know. 

Right now, I am just trying to get through the next 3-4 weeks and then I can regroup, rejuvenate, and regain my life back to a point where I can refocus on the things that are really important - with work, not being one of them.  Where is my sugardaddy anyway?  Maybe I will find him in Portugal - ha!

Celebrating All The Women Who Raised Me

Each year when Mother's Day comes around, I remember all the women who had a hand in raising me and making me the woman I am today.  

My mom  - I do and will always love my mom - the superwoman who raised me while getting not one but two master's degrees, who always understands it when I lock my keys in the car with the car running not once but twice in a 24 hour period (yes that really happened! - don't ask), who soothed me when my heart was broken in high school and later on and who implicitly understands my dry and yet sarcastic sense of humor. We look alike, walk alike and talk so much alike that our own relatives couldn't tell us apart over the phone.  She gets me like no one else, she is more than just a mom, she is a true friend.

My other mom - we have all read those fairy tales of evil stepmother.  Lies, I tell you!  The first time I heard my dad was remarrying, I was 10 years old and I wasn't happy.  Afterall, I already had a mom who was this woman who my dad loved and why wasn't he getting back with my mom.  The day I was to meet her, I left her a note instead that said, "Kathy, sorry I can't be there when you arrive.  Have a day!"  Yeah, I wasn't rolling out the red carpet by any stretch of the imagination.  But after some time, I realized how lucky I was to have a woman in my life who treated me and loved me like her very own daughter. Who accepted everything about me, all my quirks and still loved me.  Who always made me feel included and made me feel special even when extended family members didn't.  She and my father are my rock and provide me with support and a real model of a crazy and loving family who I hope to have one day.

My Tia....my disciplinarian.  When I first went to live with my dad, before he remarried, we lived in a two bedroom apartment.  I shared a room with my Tia who had recently arrived from Cali, Colombia.  I was definitely behind schedule at my age according to her - I couldn't cook, I couldn't iron, and I couldn't wash clothes - and I needed to GET ON IT!  And I did, afterall Tia wasn't having it.  Both her and my dad trained me on the proper ironing techniques of a man's shirt, the proper cooking of black beans and pandebonos, and the ways of getting out any stain imaginable.  Then there were the dance lessons - merengue and salsa but then there was SOOOOUUUULLLL TRAIN!  I so looked forward to SOUL TRAIN every weekend.  My Tia loved Don Cornelius and we would do our own type of conga line around the house.  Those first two years were not easy by any stretch of the imagination. But I do owe my Tia a lot for everything she taught me, her wonderful stories of Colombia while in the kitchen and I wouldn't be dancing salsa today if it wasn't for her.

My grandma...sharing her love for family history and lipstick.  The 1970s was a big transition time for the woman's movement and my mom was determined to raise me as an unmaterialistic woman who would become a professional part of society - not just a housewife.  My grandmother came from an era where housewife duties were revered and your job going to college was to get your M.R.S. degree.  Therefore the chances of my mom letting my grandmother babysit for me were slim to none.  But it did happen and boy did we have fun.  She would tell me the stories of when she met my grandfather (at her then boyfriend's birthday party), she would do my nails, roll up my hair and impress on me the importance of putting lipstick on before leaving the house.  In addition, she had a scavenger hunt every time I visited to find more and more old family pictures in the attic - my great grandparents wedding picture, my grandfather's scrap book filled with theater and football pics, and her childhood photos.  Each picture told a story that I carry with me in my heart to this day.

I loved and continue to love these women who made me who I am today.  Happy Happy Mother's Day!

Live The Life You Love

I saw this bumper sticker a week ago that said, "Live The Life You Love" and it has stayed with me, almost haunting me with each passing day.   I have definitely realized that I have spent the bulk of the past 20 years living for work instead of working to live.  I do have a bad taste in my mouth because of it and had an epiphany this weekend - why not just stop and make a beter decision.

So that is what I have done.  I have started making decisions for a bunch of lifetime changes that will ultimately lead me to live the life that I love.   And hopefully these changes will make me happier and allow me to get away from all the negativity and move towards a more positive surrounding.

From Red-Eye To Puppy Love - Part Deux

All I have to say about red-eye flights is that - well, they definitely suck in general and they suck the life right of you.  This is especially true when upon arrival to Logan airport, I was still facing an hour-plus commute to NH and yet another dogsitting adventure.  Ok, have I piled enough on - absolutely.  This being a yes-woman can be exhausting to say the least.  My only saving grace.....they have a doggy door and they sleep when they are not outside frolicking about. 

Ah, sleep, that was the one thing I did very well this past weekend.  Upon arrival on Saturday in Amherst, I settled on the not-so comfy sofa sectional in the basement and fell asleep for not 2 not 3 not 4 but 5 hours.  Waking up in a daze, I checked on the puppies and left them food and fell asleep again for another 8 hours.  I don't know if I was even able to register what timezone I was in.  I gave up until Sunday morning when I stretched and felt like a woman reborn. 

Now it is Sunday evening and I am finishing up the Sunday of laundry and cleaning the kitchen, watching Brothers & Sisters when I should be in bed.  Yeah, right.  Since when have I been able to go to bed at a reasonable hour on a Sunday - ah, never! 

Onto yet another glorious work week - can't hardly wait!

Adventure in LA - Hello & Good-bye

Greetings from LA! 

Wish I was here for pleasure but I have gotten some pleasure in hanging out with great colleagues, shooting the sh*t and having sprinkles cupcakes.  Yes, I am all about food.and of course patron silver - my bestest friend ever.  And I successfully avoided the seagulls that were abundant at this event.

We are having an event at the Hyatt Century Plaza and star sightings have been had - unfortunately not by me but at least we can say that the following stars have been scene:

Now that we are on the final day of the event, I am so unbelievable happy and ready to go home and crawl into bed and sleep all weekend long.  And this time, I will be snuggling with new pups in NH for the week.  And they have a doggie door so no walking or scooping up poop.  YEAH!    So hello and good-bye LA and hopefully next time there will be more star sightings in person and will be for pleasure and not work

Adventures in Dog/Housesitting - Part II (Child versus Adult-Proof)

When the words "child-proof" comes to mind, I used to just think about medicine bottles and the need to lift weights to open them. Flashforward to this past week and I realized that child-proof in 2010 has taken a whole new meaning.

No, I do not have kids yet but I am housesitting/dogsitting for a family of almost 2 year old twins.  And let me just tell you, their house is like a fortress when it comes to childproofing - especially when it comes to the kitchen - cabinets and all.   Here's the running list:

• Wednesday - Elisa fights child-proof cabinets and the dishwasher and.....WINS! After a wonderful home-cooked meal, I cleaned the counters and opened the dishwasher to find it full with ready to be cleaned dishes.  Oh well, I thought, might as well wash them, right?  Ok, two problems - 
1. The dishwashing liquid is locked up in the cabinet - you guessed it child-proof locks that require a two phased approach to get them open.  So when the family called to check-in on the pups, I asked - what's the magic "open sesame" password to get it open.  Got it open - YEAH!!!
2. This excitement was short-lived when I realized that the dishwasher also had a child-proof lock on it.  You guessed it, I pressed every button imaginable to start and it wouldn't start.  I was like, "Really, people"  am I being punked already in a home, where are those cameras anyway???  I walked away, watched a show and then with a clearer mind, I went back to face the dishwasher.  It was like "Kitchen High Noon."  Except, I won.  I found the unlock button and voila the dishwashing began and I went to bed feeling very accomplished.

• Saturday - Elisa enters the battle of the child-proof stove and......LOSES but only half way.  So after a day of beauty, I come back to Melrose ready to cook dinner for a couple of friends who live in the area.  On the menu was Caribbean Chicken with Rice Pilaf and salad.  They were bringing the drinks and dessert.  I had decided to make home-made pita chips - a mixture of regular, garlic and asiago cheese chips.  I got them all ready on the cookie sheets and was on my way to heat up the oven when.....you guessed it,  it had a lock.  The lights kept flashing at me every time I tried to heat it up - "Stove Loc On" It might as well as said, "Ha ha ha Elisa, you are F*CKED!"  I called my friends but they were out.  I even tried to look up the code on the internet.  To no avail.  So, due to the time, I looked around and then the hallelujah chorus started as the sun (ok, it was raining so I imagined it the sun) lit up the toaster oven.  YEAH!!!!!  Pita chips were had by all and thank god the rest of the menu only needed stove top cooking :)   My friends did try to rescue me but it was after the pita chips were done and I was walking the dogs.   Hey, at least they tried right?

So, what has this all taught me?  Well, the good news is that these child-proof codes and cabinet locks are in existence.  Imagine our parents when we as babies would get into things - I shiver at the thought.  The not so good news is that now as I an single adult woman, can't figure these damn things out and has to send frequent S.O.S. messages to get the job done.  I wonder what it will be like when I do have kids - I am thinking remote clicker locks :)   

Adventures In Dogsitting - Part 1

Hello there!  It has been a while - too long.  Work life balance is getting back in check - especially this week while I am dogsitting in Melrose for two of the cutest wheaten terriers you have ever seen.  They love to walk, love to eat and love to snuggle.   While the Dowd family is away, Elisa will play as much as possible with them.  I mean....look at them:

Stella is on the right and Beans is on the left and this is how they greet me every morning with a shake and a smile.  Then after jumping around for at least 10 minutes, they decide, ok, I am pooped:

So far, I have been dogsitting since Tuesday evening and it has been an adventure.  Let's see what I have learned so far:

• The Walking & The Business:  No this is not a Jersey Shore nickname for the pups - its about, you know, doing their business during the walks.  I do love to walk the dogs around the neighborhood but sometimes I wish they could do their business on command.  Especially in the morning before having to leave for work.  Like you can say - are you ready? And they do it on command.  Yeah, that's like saying you can have twin babies on a schedule.  My girlfriend who has twin boys said that was going to happen for her - five years later she is still working on that one.  But at least they are doing their business and I don't have to worry about accidents, right?
• Sleeping & Snuggling:  Evenings are my favorite time of the day with them.  They are so cuddly soft (yes like the Teddy Bear in the commercial) and all they want to do is lay on the couch near by to keep me company.  Now at night, Beans sleeps at the foot of my bed while Stella, the younger pup has decided to keep me company by sleeping by me on top of the comforter.  This was not an issue until last night at midnight after the lights were out and I was just about to fall asleep when Stella stood up suddenly and....well, let's just say I heard a sound that was not welcome.  Yes, you guessed it, she had a little vomiting accident on the corner of the comforter - GRROOOSSSSS!  She has been relegated to the living room for now on the very comfortable couch which is currently sleeping on as we speak with her sister, Beans.

Now, the weather has held off so far this week, but tomorrow this all changes with a rainy weekend with no end in sight.  But don't you worry, Beans and Stella will be walking in style and more adventures of chasing birds, walking in the mud and singing in the rain will be had:

Beans in an Isaac Mizrahi Puppy Coat - ha!

Cheers from London and Howdy from Dallas

Well hello there my dear blog followers!  It has been a while and when I read my last entry I realized that again I had fallen into the black hole of work never to be seen or heard from again.  Oh ok, yes a little melodramatic, I admit but I am happy to say, I AM BACK!  Not so much with a vengeance but rather a renewed energy to blog again. 

Over the past two weeks, I have been traveling - my new homes - airports, taxis, tubes and trains. Oh and not to mention the hotel room that I only see when I pass out from exhaustion.  I have had a few firsts though - London was a first for me last week and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Whoever said Londoners were a bit of cold fishes never met the people I came across.  Everyone - from the taxi drivers to the hotel concierge to the people I bumped into on the Heathrow Express or Tube (their word for the Subway - to Brits "subway" is a walk way underground to avoid the traffic or rain up above) - was extremely friendly, welcoming and more over NICE!  Plus I got to meet my colleagues from Europe who do the same thing I do - and they showed me a good time beyond compare!  I laughed until I almost pissed my pants!

Oh, and let's not forget the food.  I ate until my stomach hurt and drank til I had permanent red wine stains on my lips.  I had it all - from fish & chips, to Spanish tapas to Indian food - YUM! 

On the only day I didn't work - Saturday - I walked for 5 to 6 hours all around London.  I went to the Tower of London first.  For those of you who don't know - I am a Tudors fanatic.  I have watched every episode of the Showtime series "The Tudors" and have read every Phillipa Gregory novel about the women of that time: Mary and Anne Boleyn, Mary Queen of Scots, etc. 

So the very fact that I was taking a tour and sitting in the Chapel where the Anne Boleyn's body was found completely made the tour worth it for me.  Yes, I can be morbid but I love all the history surrounding King Henry the VIII and his many wives and penchant for beheadings. 

After the Tower of London, I went to visit the Kensington and Buckinham Palaces which were both closed to the public unfortunately but at least I was able to see them from the outside,  walk through Kensington Gardens, the Diana Memorial and enjoy fresh air. 

I then went to Herrod's  - can we say overwhelming????

Herrod's is as tall as it is wide and....they actually have an opera singer singing Ave Maria as customers ride up and down the elevators.  I mean, really??? Opera as you are shoppping???? And since I am all about food, my favorite part of Herrod's was the food court/gourmet grocery shopping/anything foodwise that you need.  They had a sushi bar and a dim sum bar plus meat factory.  Yes, I was in heaven but was too overwhelmed to be able to pick a thing.

So that was my day in London after my event and I loved every minute of it.  I was sad to leave as I knew I was going to miss London, the Brits and my colleagues.  But then I was heading to another adventure in Dallas and yes, another event.

I am now in Dallas for Day 1 of the Forum.  I haven't been to Southfork (yes, I was an avid "Dallas" fan from the 1970s and remember "Who Shot JR"). 

But I have managed to have fun, not get sick and yes, believe it or not, exercise.   Tomorrow I fly home on the redeye - oh, so can't wait!   Before then, I may, just may go country line dancing - oh, my college roommate would be so proud if I did.

Work Life Balance - Does it exist?

As I logged in tonight to update my blog, I looked at the date of my last entry and it has been almost a full week since my last post.  What happened?  Where has all the blogging gone?  In one word - work.  I started 2010 with a renewed focus on maintaining some kind of work life balance, reality quickly set in. 

Is work overrated?  You bet it is, especially when it comes to the impact it can have on a person's health - whether it is lack of sleep or lack of exercise.  Whether it is Ben or Jerry or my good friend. Mr. Chicken Fingers that have come for visits more frequently than I can count.  Even my dog Bella snuggled up to me last night and looked up at me, put her head on my arm that was attached to my typing hand to say:

Can't you just pay attention to me and stop working????

It reminded me of the time I was working at my last job when my then four year old sister would come home, see me at my computer and close it on me - mid type.  She would say to me, "No, you said you wouldn't be working when I came home."  Even at a young age, my sister knew the importance of work-life balance - or rather knew that I was supposed to focus on her when she was home :).  From here on out, that is what I am going to focus on. 

Will there be times I have to work late?  Yes.  But not every night.  Will I still fit exercise in at least 4 to 5 times a week - the work stress requires it, no?  Will I indudge in fried foods - ok, seriously, that's a big HELL YES.  I will just try not to overindulge and allot for it in my flex points on the weight watchers plan.  What about fun?  Plans are in the works for sure this weekend and eHarmony is becoming more and more fun by the day - woot! woot! 

Good-Bye and Well, hello there!

So since my last eHarmony update, I was hemming and hawing about what to do about the guy with four kids - Mr. R.  Well folks, I went with my heart and.....

Good Bye Mr. R: I closed the match several days after my last eharmony update. Sorry to say because he was really nice and communicated well.  Unfortunately 4 kids was just too much baggage and while I know it's definitely possibility that at my age I could be somebody's stepmother...Maria of the Sound of Music, I ain't.  However, I did something that I would appreciate if I were in his shoes.  I sent him a "Dear John" letter explaining why I was making the decision to close the match and then I closed it.

Hello Misters S & M:  Ok, get your minds out of the gutter people.  There are now two men I am communicating with openly now as we made it through all the initial stages and are at the direct email communication phase of our eHarmony relationship.  After saying good-bye to Mr. R, I started communicating with Mr. S from Nashua and Mr. M from Marlborough.  Both are

• Job Status: Professionals (Electrical Engineer versus Educational Administrator
• Single: Divorced father of two versus single man
• Origin:  Both not from the Boston area (Burkina Fasso and San Diego)

So far, we are just an initial stages of communicating but both are interested in seeing what happens as am I. 

Looking for Mom or Dad? You know how the saying goes - people end up marrying someone that reminds them of their parents?  I actually found it very interesting that I have chosen two very different men with distinct experiences and backgrounds but relatable to my family in a way.  My father comes from a family of engineers, my father is Eletrical and Mechanical and all my uncles are engineers, my aunt works in an engineering office.  Out of 30 Colombian cousins, only 3 of us are not enginners (yes, one of them would be me).  My mother, on the other hand comes from a long line of educators, we have our family history that shows education as the profession of our family to the 18th century.  My mom currently teaches at U Mass Dartmouth and my father is an Senior Engineer at Raytheon.  But hey, I haven't exactly met them yet - I mean - in person.  So let me slow the pace and get back to reality.

I am still glad that I am sticking with eHarmony as it fits my personality and my lifestyle.  But the deadline of April 5th in terms of resubscribing is looming on the horizon.  Who knows?  Maybe I won't need to.  Until next time....stay tuned....

Moose, Coyotes, Bears....Oh My!

When I moved to New Hampshire in 2008, I knew I was heading to an area that was off the beaten track - afterall mapquest didn't even have our street on the map and still doesn't have it on GPS.  Yes, I live far from civilization - we are surrounded by a wooded area.  The first Dunkin Donuts is a five minute drive (unheard of by Boston standards) and Starbucks is...GASP.....a 15 minute drive!  Hey, at least Starbucks has a drive thru, right?  And by the way, I have no problem relying on coffee places to determine what constitutes civilization - I am half-Colombian afterall!

Last year, I had my first jolt of reality about where I live and how close we are to the woods.  Yes, Bella (aka Toto),  we are not in Boston (Kansas) anymore.  There was a black bear sighting in Brookline, NH - in fact the bear was seen on my very street.  Was I sorry I missed the sighting - absolutely, was I didn't come into direct contact?  Hell, yeah!

Flashforward to this past week, where we have ample snow on the ground which shows all kinds of tracks in our yard.  My stepmother came in one Saturday and said, "Um, I think there are moosetracks in the backyard."  No, not Ben & Jerry (we broke up weeks ago, remember?) but REAL moosetracks.  My father was incredulous, , "Absolutely no, they are Bella's tracks."  Of course, we all had to go out to investigate - my stepmom, sister and me.  I mean, there is a significant difference in the hoofs of a moose and the paws of our beloved 65 pound puppy.  Although apparently my father didn't think so, ha!  We found the tracks and it was like fitting our foot within a foot of a dinosaur - so, not Bella's paw print.  So we have MOOSE!  No sightings yet, but definitely we have moose neighbors.  Again, yes I want to see them - but definitely from afar - I have heard that they are not exactly friendly and I would rather them not charge me or my car for that matter.

Then, two nights ago, I was in a deep sleep to be woken up by my sister's "hoofs" running up and down the hallway shouting, "Mom, there are coyotes outside!"  I was like, "Whoa, what did she just say?" And sure enough I could hear them serenading our beautiful Bella.  The howling was not exactly like listening to Handel's Messiah but they were definitely coyotes, judging by the tracks outside.

We now have convinced my father that we do have moose - we dragged him outside to see yesterday.  And he does believe that we have coyotes as well but believes that Bella can take them down either with her beauty and charm or by force.  She is a force to be reckon with when it comes to protecting us - however, I fear that her bark is worse than her bite.

If I get any sightings of our new winter neighbors, will definitely post.  But for now, I will drink my homemade Colombian coffee (too lazy to drive this morning) and hope that they stay at bay.

eHarmony update: Hope & Honesty

Hope springs eternal - isn't that how the saying goes?  I can tell you this - I have been on eHarmony for a full month now and I haven't given up.....yet.

Since I last blogged, I was communicating pretty heavily with Mr. R and was still receiving matches daily to chose whether or not to communicate or close.  Not to mention, there were men closing me out as well.  While I was focusing on my communication with Mr. R, I was ignoring the new matches.  Then my health scare happened and then work got more hectic.  So for two weeks, eHarmony has not been the top of my "to-do" list.

It's funny, as much as I would like to be in a monogamous, loving relationship at this stage in my life, as soon as life throws me a curve ball, the focus on this goal diminishes.  Until that is, today.  I was sitting in a conference room at work when a good friend of mine stopped by.  We were catching up when she asked me how it was going with eHarmony and I said, "To be honest, I haven't really been focusing on it since before my fated trips to the ER."  Good friends never let you forget things that are really important to you. And this friend was no different.  She basically asked me why not and when I listed the litany of excuses, she reminded me of my wish to have a family , etc., etc., etc.....and it made me question the true reason why I hadn't been on the eHarmony website in over a week.

Why?  Ok, here comes the honesty part - it was fear of facing Mr. R since his last communication and also even continuing on eHarmony.  I mean, hey, I have been on eHarmony for a whole MONTH now, shouldn't prince charming already be identified and us be on our way to love happily ever after?????  Ok, ok, this is not ABC's Bachelorette or a Disney Movie.  And yes, I have to admit, I am in patient and wish that dating was more "organic" and less of a job that I had to work at.  But here I am and it is 2010 afterall.  Ah, the joy of it all! 

So back to Mr. R's communication.  We emailed pretty consistently during the first 3 weeks of January.  During this time, I learned that he is of Haitian descent but has no ties to Haiti; he travels a lot for work and is originally from California.  He writes great emails and there was an ease about our communication before I got sick.  Oh, yeah, another important piece - he has four, yes I said, four kids.  And yes, that is the main reason for my delay in going on eHarmony to send him another email. I truly had to do some soul-searching and of course polling among my friends.  Here's how the percentage came out of the 10 people I polled:

10% said give him a chance

90% said RUN!!!!!!!

So of course, I ran and closed the match, right? 

No, at least not yet.  It's important to note that a) he is not adverse to having more kids - afterall, hasn't he already proven that he has no problem in that area???? and b) I don't know if they live with them or their ages.  OK, OK, I knew I was going to have to face the fact that with my age, I am bound to be communicating with men who have kids.....but....FOUR????  Also, he wanted me to call him.  Maybe I am old fashioned but I just didn't feel comfortable yet, yes, I do have a shy streak and he just had dropped the bomb on me about the four kids (are you heaing the Gap Band, "You Dropped The Bomb On Me" in your head???)

So today, I faced my fears and cleaned up my eHarmony matches to reinvigorate my focus and stay true to my desire to meet a new man to share my life with - oh, how romantic that sounds, huh?  Here's what my account looked like this:

• Three matches in different levels of communication (Mr. R - email; Mr. S and Mr. J - can't stands/must haves 
• 10 in initial communication from January 5th - January 22nd
• 47 new matches to review since January 12th.

I responded to Mr. R and asked if he still wanted to communicate and if we could email until next week when I will call and decide then weather or not to close him out completely.  I also cleaned up my eHarmony account and here's where it stands:

• 11 in communication (1 email; 2 can't stands/must haves and 8 in 1st questions mode)
• 5 closed after not communicating for the past month
• 36 closed because of my gut instinct or maybe/not wanting to have kids

Onwards and upwards, right?  Will keep you posted next week on the exciting news from eHarmony land.  I do have hope but lesson was learned about keeping focus amidst the chaos that can be my life.  So who knows but at least I am trying! :)

Ben and Jerry - I am sorry, it's time for us to break up :(

Sad but true, my love of everything Ben and Jerry's: from Half-baked to Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough to Cherry Garcia - it's time for me to say ta-ta, so long, sayonara, adios. 

Why?  Well after a long and hard day yesterday, I arrived home, ate dinner with the fam, and proceeded to raid the frig for something sweet.  Instead of wine, I went for Half-Baked and ate a cup of that.  YUMMMMMMM!  And then, my stepmom decided to make banana souffles, yes mini-ones but also had that also.  DOUBLE YUMMMMM! 

However, this is how I got in trouble in the first place.  Four years ago, I was a power yogaing fool who worked for a computer software company.  I had a cushiony job doing executive meetings with scrumptious but healthy food.  I also had a flexible schedule and a 15 minute commute from Melrose, MA.  In February of 2006, I started a new job, moved in with my then boyfriend, and moved to Boston from Melrose.  My commute doubled and so did my stress-level but even more importantly a strict standard schedule.  I did my best to incorporate exercise but my eating went south - salads were replaced by chicken fingers, pizza and yummy pad thai.  Exercise was replaced with reality TV.  The result, I put on 60 pounds in 2 years!!!

In 2008 when my relationship ended and I moved in with my parents to save money for a condo, I decided, enough was enough.  So even with the strict work schedule, I started waking up at ungodly hours to avoid the Rte 3 traffic and heading to the gym or to yoga.  I joined Weight Watchers in 2008 and didn't have much success at all.  Believe it when they say emotions have everything to do with weight loss and can impede progress.  I still was losing weight just a lot slower than I was used to.  Once the cloud over me had lifted, the weight started coming off and I rejoined in 2009.   

Now in 2010, I am down 45 of the 60 pounds and am still committed to getting down to the weight that I was in 2008 and potentially more depending on my doctor's advice.  Trust me losing weight in your 30s is NOTHING like losing weight in your 20's.  For a long time, I thought I was on a mountain saying, "Hello Metabolism, Where ARE YOU?"  Only to hear my own voice echoing back at me. 

I am happy to say metabolism and I have found a happy, yes, slower but happy medium and I have signed up for a new Weight Watchers 12 week program to get me over the ump of work busy season or craziness.  Thank god for the support of co-workers, friends and family.  I couldn't have done it or continue to do it without you guys!

Budget Crunch: Week 1

Let the money jar project commence.  It is week 1 and I am already seeing a trend - I love spending money on food.  Shocker!

Back to the money project - I officially began the jar project this past Monday and proceeded to take out 25% of my bimonthly paycheck. Then what did I do?  Yes, ladies and gents - I left my wallet at work.  Yes, with the money in it and yes with my 90 minute commute home with no license and cops just waiting with bated breath to pull over my CR-V.  Nah, just kidding, I didn't get pulled over - yeah to cruise control.

So now my empty jars are chock full of money - Ha!  Not quite but they are filled with receipts and money devoted to the 5 categories: transportation, clothes/gifts, entertainment, food, and misc.

You with the sharp eyes can see Bella sleeping in the background - she is obviously my financial advisor!  I created a spreadsheet with the five categories detailing input and output and even within the first 4 days, I have already had to adjust but haven't gone over - yet.  I am hopeful I can stay within the budget but it is definitely not easy with busy season at work and my penchant for ordering chicken fingers when I am stressed but I am committed to saving what I need to save for a condo in 2011 and becoming a debt free person (yes, I am aware that I am saving and paying off debt only to become a homeowner and debtfull - oh the irony!).

Because I am paid every two weeks, I have to budget for two weeks so while it may look like I have money, keep in mind, one jar is already empty with a receipt from Weight Watchers.  That was today which required me to adjust the spreadsheet as we as a group decided to go 19 weeks instead of 12 weeks.  But hey, it's for my health, right?  Actually all of this is for my health - financial and otherwise.

So if you want to join me in the budget curnch, ehem, I mean financial savior plan - see the following URL and have at it.  Also, let me know how you are making out - misery, I mean, optimism loves company!

Money Jars

Back to the 80s....music that is!

Ah, the 80s - the music, the fashion, the assymmetrical haircuts (yes, I had one!) - it all came back to me last night when I was relaxing in my Dad's man cave watching the latest episode of The Bachelor (yes, I am afraid I am STILL hooked on the show). 

During one of the commercial breaks, I came across my 14 year old sister's latest list of songs to download from iTunes:

1. "We don't have to take our clothes off" - Jermaine Stewart
2. "Puttin On the Ritz" - Taco
3. "Take On Me" - A-Ha
4. "Der  Kommissar" - After The Fire
5. "Keep Your Hands To Yourself " - Georgia Satellite
6. "Catch Me I'm Falling" - Pretty Poison

I couldn't believe it.  She is hooked on the 80s - My music.  And dare I say it, i danced to a lot of the songs on her list when I was - dare I say it - HER AGE!  I have to thank VH1 for their Best of the 80s marathons.  It cracks me up everytime my sister looks at me and says, "Hey Lis, have you heard of this song? this band"  And I just smile and say, "honey, I lived it!"  and then I teach her the wop, running man or roger rabbit which she then presents at dinner time to the delight and rousing laughter of my parents.  Hey, at least she has rhythm and also, I must say, great taste in music!

And finally some relief.....

So I left you all hanging on Wednesday.  This was not by choice but rather by necessity but I am happy to say that I am well on the road to recovery and hopeful that this is the last blog for the year about my health woes/experiences.  One can only hope, right?

The good news is that after the lumbar tests (spinal tap times 2), the doctors in the ER were able to rule out spinal meningitis.  I have to admit, I was in a daze or rather in denial during my ER visit on Wednesday that I had anything serious.  I am glad they ruled it out and decided on a mild form of neuropathy stemming from the stomach virus I had.  I was not so happy about the aftermath, however....

Basically in 1 in 20 patients, a spinal tap causes a migraine headache that can last for days without subsiding.   The headache started 90 minutes after the test and 30 minutes after the results.  When the nurse said,  "Didn't the doctors say you should rest after the test and do nothing?"  I was like, "ah, no...I was feeling fine so I just got my computer up and started to blog."  When she gave me that "you are such a dipshit" look I realized that the headache may have been my fault....dammit.  But since I was ultimately feeling ok, slight tingling in my legs and a slight headache, I decided that I was ok to drive home.  Boy, was that a mistake!

Thirty minutes into my 75 minute drive home, the headache became a full-fledged migraine with no relief in sight.  I called, or rather yelled, into the phone to my parents to see if they could meet me but they were no way close, stopped at McDonalds for a milk shake - yes I believed that sugar of some kind will always make you feel better - NOT!  Eventually, driving 60 mph on 3N I made it to the meeting point with my parents and they drove me home. 

Not realizing that the migraine was due to anything but a lack of real food for hours, I tried to eat something with my parents at dinner, and then proceded to head to bed knowing that I would have to work from home the next day.  I woke up with the migraine but tried to work - yeah, I lasted until 10:30 a.m. and then had to sign off.  Tylenol PM - you were my initial savior - I slept until 4:30 p.m. and still had the migraine.  Sooo, yes, I called the doctor's office who told me - "You're not going to like this but you are probably going to have to go back to the ER."  Yup, they were right, I didn't like it one bit.  So, we compromised and said that I would try to make it through the night and if it's worse in the morning, I would go.  Tylenol PM was my BFF that night and while I was lying flat I was fine.  I woke up with a smile on my face on Friday morning only to sit up with....yes, you guessed it....a migraine!  Will it ever end, I thought?  And it was worse, I couldn't sit up, couldn't walk standing straight up and was so painful that I couldn't make it to the stairs by my room to tell my parents.  I finally got enough strength to get my parents attention and worked my way to the ER with my stepmom. 

Can I just tell you how thankful I am for the treatment at Southern Nashua ER.  They wheeled me in and treated me right away.  First they gave me medication for the pressure on my head.  Yeah, that didn't work and then was given my best friend for life....morphine!  I *heart* morphine!  Oh, relief.  Then I got the diagnosis from the doctor - I had a spinal tap induced migraine they was caused by spinal fluid leaking from the hole made by the spinal tap needle that usually closes up but in 1 in 20 cases, it doesn't and requires a blood patch.   That said, ehwther or not I was on the computer following the spinal tap would not have stopped the migraine for coming on.  Ok, Ok, not the smartest move on my part, I admit.

So what is a blood patch? A blood patch is taking blood from my veins and inserting it in the area of the whole in my spine and it acts like a spackle.  Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you guessed it, I had to be taken up to the OR to be given another epidural and a blood patch (which was complicated by the fact that they couldn't find a good vein.  Now that was fun, but hey, I didn't feel a thing - thank you my BFF, Mr. Morphine!

All I have to say, is that the relief after the blood patch was nothing short of miraculous, and more importantly immediate.  Within 5 minutes, I was able to sit up, SIT UP, and then I was able to actually feel more like myself.  Not quite exactly like myself but definitely 80% better.  I was also thankful that I wasn't alone, I had my stepmom there with me and myy mom by phone.  I was very supported and was forced and rightly so, to take the rest of the weekend off.  No activities, no exercise, no nothing!

Now, it is Sunday, I have been able to sleep, rest and feel more and more like myself with each day and while I am not 90%, I am getting there.  Very thankful for all my family, friends and co-workers for all the support and chastising throughout the process. 

So this is the end of my health scare/adventure and I am definitely taking it easy.  Returning to work tomorrow and hopefully back to a more normal, restful routine.  Yeah, we will see how long this will last! Ha!  Seriously, I am extremely grateful and feel very fortunate that it wasn't something more serious.

Not the adventure I was expecting.....

My plan today was to wake up, go to the doctor's and head in to work.  I had an appt with my primary physician because after my stomach virus of the weekend, I had developed a strange tingling and numbness in both legs.  When it started on Sunday, I just figured I had slept wrong.  My Monday was uneventful except that the numbness and tingling persisted and it got worse at night.  After Bella woke up the family with her barking at 2 a.m. (Thanks Bella), I wasn't able to find a comfortable position to fall asleep, tossed and turned for an hour, paced for 30 minutes, and then went downstairs to watch a movie in hopes that the tingling and numbness in my legs would subside. 

Three hours later, it hadn't but I decided to ignore it and go into work.  Yes, I know - smart move.  At work, I was basically on fumes because I didn't have any energy and the numbness had traveled to the middle of my gluteus maximus - aka, my butt.  Think about it - how comfortable is it to sit on your butt when it feels like a "charlie horse"?  So not the best feeling in the world at all!  So after my last meeting of the day, I told my boss, not asked him, told him that I was heading home.  Once home, I got on the couch to rest and realized that the numbness and tingling in my legs was getting slightly worse again.  Took some Motrin and then decided - you know, enough and called the doctor's office.  They of course chastised me for not calling earlier and scheduled me for the first appt that they could - 9:50 a.m.

Woke up today and the numbness/tingling had slightly subsided.  I thought - leave it to my body to decide that there was no issue - afterall, it wasn't as bad as Monday, it was starting to feel better.  It's like when you make an appt to get your haircut and the day of the appt is the day your hair looks it's best.  I mean the tingling/numbness was still there but just less so.  So I went into Cambridge from NH and saw my primary, explained my symptoms, had my temperature taken, reflexes and strength tested in both legs, hell, I was even weighed.  But in the end, my doctor said that the symptoms to her seemed neurological - that sometimes when you have a virus, the same viral infection can attack your nerves and in my case, the nerves in the leg.  There is some fancy name for it that escapes me right now.  In any event, she called her neurologist at Brigham & Women's Hospital, who didn't even let her finish and within 10 seconds told her that I should come immediately to the emergency room there for testing and observation.

I was floored!  I mean, hello, I only have tingling - I can walk and talk at the same time, hell I even drove back and forth from NH 3 times this week already.  I have no fever, my blood pressure is fine - what the hell do I need to go to the emergency room for?????   Well, apparently, this is pretty common so I shouldn't panic, right?  Shouldn't be worried, right?  Then, my doctor said that the neurologist wanted me to be sent to the ER in an ambulance.  Oh, hell no!  I, being my mother's independent daughter, decided to drive there from Porter Square.  I can do THIS, I thought.  I am a healthy 37 year old woman with no surgeries, only two broken bones ever (coxic and thumb bones - don't ask - story for later), and no allergies - I can certainly get to the ER on my own.  And of course, I did.

Probably not the smartest move but here I am.  Still in the ER and blogging.  And I have to say, I am really glad I got here earlier than the dreaded evening ER experiences of the past where it is jam packed and the weight is like 5 hours.  I only had to wait for 90 minutes and then was given a "stylish" hospital gown and a bed in the hallway.  Hey, I entertained myself by people watching - very interesting stuff when you are in the hallway! 

I now have a room where I had some very unique experiences since being here today.  I got my 600 mg of motrin - yeah!  Then had blood work done - easy peasy and then, drum roll please, I had not one but TWO spinal taps.  They kept telling me, have you ever had a baby because it's like having an epidural.  If they ever tell you that - DON'T BELIEVE THEM!  Epidural is for putting some wonderful medicine in your system so you don't feel a thing when you give birth.  Spinal taps - the exact opposite - extracting spinal fluid!  Great!  I really had one but it took two tries - the first one, I almost fainted while I was sitting up and they couldn't get the right angle - but they tried REALLY, REALLY hard - hence, why I started feeling light headed.  After inverting the bed so I could get a wonderful blood rush, they tried again and this time I was lying down.  Picture me in a cannon ball pose as a needle is inserted into my spine - can you imagine how much fun that was???? Actually not so bad the second time around and they got what they needed - whew!

So, now I am just waiting for the results - for them to tell me nothing is wrong and I can go home.  Yes, I am blogging from my comfortable, private ER bed, waiting for the results.  hmmmm, could use some room service.....just kidding.  They are treating me really well here. Just would really like to know what's going on...hopefully will find out soon.

Foggy Not Bloggy

As some of my followers have mentioned to me today, I am behind in my blog posts having not posted since last week.  Sorry guys, something took over me last week and it's called the dreaded stomach flu.  It all started after one my offsite events that I was managing in downtown Boston and came on like gang busters by the time I was supposed to meet C and G for dinner with their friend at The Blue Room.  I was so excited for dinner that I purposely had a big breakfast and then a small snack for lunch in anticipating of mouthwatering appetizers and entrees.  Of course my friends were late - being the Greeks and Colombians that they are - hey, they'll admit and were even caught on camera arriving late to one of our friends' weddings a couple of years ago - and they lived the closest to the church!!!  C and G - you know I love you!

But I digress.....that said, I ordered the meals early because of the lateness - yummy shrimp and chorizo, beef tenderloin, pasta extraordinaire and roasted chicken - something for everyone. Except, then I started getting pains in my abdomen and thought, oh this isn't good.  But then my friends arrived and I tried to take my mind off of it.  Unfortunately for me/Fortunately for my friends, the food arrived, as much as I was looking forward to eating what I ordered, I had an immediate adversion to the food.  Couldn't eat a thing and then the chills started.  I then knew I was in trouble.  Yuck.

Luckily, C can drive stick and drove me to her place as I was in no condition to drive and then I headed home for the weekend of couch potato, football watching and reality show marathons to my hearts content.  Truth be told - I spent most of the time in a fever-induced stupor in an out of sleep and consciousness and nothing to eat but the BRAT diet or as I like to call baby food diet.

All this and my new year's resolution was not to get sick before/during/after work-related functions.  Ok, so the first one out of the shoot as a bust.  Next time, though, I will make sure I am hydrated and well rested the week prior!

I am back to work today and will be rest assured to keep you updated on the latest of eHarmony, Weight Watchers and other adventures this week so wait and see what this week will bring you!  Thanks for reading and following!

Are you feeling "In The Heights"?

Well, I am certainly feeling it!  Or at least I was last Thursday night at the Boston Opera House.  What is "In The Heights?"  It's a broadway musical that began with a vision of one Latino man from New York and blossomed not only into a broadway musical but also a multi Tony award winner.

This is a musical that is bilingual, multicultural (American - Latino, African - American,  South American, Caribbean etc), and just out and out fun!  Loved the acting, loved the songs, loved the dancing, loved the story - loved it loved it loved it!

I have to say that personally growing up I had a very different experience growing up.  My parents were divorced and I spent most of my time not identifying with my Colombian heritage - really just ignorant to what it means to grow up Latina. Yes, I had been to Colombia 3 times before I was 8 years old, but didn't really didn't get my heritage or ties to the "homeland" - I was too young and I all I understood was that they were my family.  Back in the States, where I was born, I didn't speak Spanish, didn't live within an enclave of Latinos or people born from Latin America.  I pronounced my last name incorrectly in school as it was just easier to have them mispronounce it.  It wasn't until I was 8 years old that I found out how important my heritage was to me and how important it was for me to communicate to my relatives and understand where my father came from. 

When I went to live with my father at 10 years old, I started making more of a cultural connection and also faced the racism and prejudices of my classmates because I didn't "look Latina,"  I didn't look like my father - a Colombian who is also Black.  And I didn't speak Spanish like my father and Tia.  It was a long time before I could reconcile this and was further confused when I asked my dad a simple question - "Dad, are you Black?" and his response was "No, I am Colombian."  You see, my classmates didn't know that people from Latin America could also be black and I only saw my father as my dad, my papi.  Also, my dad is one of 9 children of which only 2 live in the US.  So there was no real extended family, no little Colombia nearby where we lived in Northern Virginia, we lived a multcultural apartment complex.  Yes, we watched futbol (soccer) every weekend together, but we also watched football.  Instead of Sabado Gigante, we watched Soul Train and Solid Gold.  We ate pandebonos (warm cheesebread) and bunuelos (our Colombian version of donuts) on weekends and hello, rice and beans of course.  But I didn't speak Spanish, and the only time I heard it was when I was being reprimanded by my dad or tia who lived with us.  I still look back on those times with fondness and now that my dad has started making pandebonos for my little sister on weekends, I always smile.

What is my point in sharing this with you?  As much as I wanted to relate to "In The Heights," I couldn't.  My story of growing up was distinctive in that my mom was not Latin American but my father was, and while I lived with my father, I didn't live in a predominantly Hispanic/Latino community, while I was exposed to the culture, I didn't speak the language.  However, what I learned over the years, was how much I connected to the culture, the language, my familia, my Colombia, and finally my identity, rich in the blood of my Spanish, African indigenous as well as German, English and Scottish heritages. 

All in all, so glad I saw it and experienced it, and so happy to have found joy in it!  Whatever your background, I encourage all to see it and you will see aspects that you can relate and aspects you can't but overall you will ENJOY IT!

Entering The Debt-Free Zone - Here Come The Jars!

Yesterday I went to Target with my sister to buy some jars - and not just any jars, not jars to store food or marbles, but to store my financial future.  Yes, I said it - jars for my financial future.  It was my good friend who turned me onto to this show, "Til Debt Do Us Part." 

This show is about couples who are at the brink of financial catastrophe and the show's host shows these couples how to transform their current financial situation into a win to bring them out of debt.  Debt is universal, right?  For example, low income + high debt or as we like to call in my family - "Champagne Taste with Beer Money."  In the Boston area, the high cost of living alone can get you in trouble and into debt - whether you rent or own, have an active social life or love to shop - and most importantly, not paying attention to what is coming in and what is going out - that ugly Debt monster can creep right in.  The Debt monster is like a party crasher that never leaves.  So in 2010, I am kicking my debt monster out the door - and as the song goes - to hit the road, jack, and don't come back no more! 

Whether you are single or part of a couple, this show provides you with tools - spreadsheets, and a plan with jars.  Here are a picture of my jars:

There are five in total and they have categories to allot your income to:

So since being paid last Friday, I am keeping track of what comes in and what must go out and then storing that information.  Beginning on February 1st, I will be taking my salaried income, dividing  into the categories and saving with each pay check with the hope of realizing my dream home ownership in early 2011.  Wish me luck and may the jars runneth over!