Truckin'

Yesterday, I drove this truck full of furniture and towed my CRV to Austin. I just couldn't bear to sell some of my furniture, especially the pieces that are family heirlooms, and fortunately, my uncle Tom and my sister Jenn and bro-in-law Anthony were willing and able to take various pieces.

Colin and Anna were really impressed with the truck! They both had to pretend to drive it. Colin had to stretch to make his feet reach the pedals!

Another Goodbye

Last night, I volunteered at Parkland's neonatal intensive care unit for the last time. It was so difficult leaving, walking through the halls and thinking this is the last time I'm going to do this.

What made it even sadder for me was the fact that my good friend and the nurse who I prefer to work with, Lily, wasn't there. I saw her last week, and I refused to let her get sad when I left, agreeing that we'd see each other again this week. When I asked if she had called in sick, the nurse manager said she was taking a two week vacation. Her husband works for an airline and has flight benefits, and she mentioned they'd been debating going to England to see her brother and his family.

The hospital had a record seven sets of twins born in a two-and-a-half day period, so I was able to help quite a bit last night. I held (one at a time) twin boys, and two twin girls who's twins were already home. The first twin boy was very snuggly, and I enjoyed holding him.

As I walked out of the hospital to the parking garage, I couldn't stop the tears from falling. I know I can find a hospital in NYC in which to volunteer, but I will miss the friends I've made. Especially Lily. She is a great nurse, always doing whatever the baby needs (like a bath) even if it's not required. Some of the other nurses are lazy, but Lily really does what's best for her little patients. She talks to them in a matter-of-fact tone and has taught me so much about premies and nursing. She's very modest, strongly religious, and feels her emotions deeply. She still gets teared up when talking about her sister who died more than 10 years ago. She would always give me a hug when I left and would be so appreciative when I walked in, saying my name, "Emileeeee!" She knew I love Indian food and would bring me leftovers of foods she and her husband had prepared. I couldn't even pronounce everything, but it was so good.

I had brought her a small gift and card, which I left in her mailbox. I just missed getting one last hug.

Squirrel Mayhem

Working from home, you learn what goes on during the day when you're usually not here. I'm surprised how late in the afternoon the trash gets picked up on my street, and the mail-lady comes pretty late, too. It's a pretty quiet street, except for the squirrels.

There are two large pecan trees here, one in the front yard and one in the back, that provide a lot of shade and have branches that canopy over the house. The squirrels have been eating the unripened green pecans with gusto, and the debris litters the front yard and sidewalk. They also must be playing a game of torpedo, throwing the pecans at the roof. THUMP! THUMP! A couple times, it sounds like someone is knocking at the front door. (I checked...no one there.)

THUMP! Roll, roll, roll...there goes another one.

One Person's Junk is Another Person's Treasure

Yesterday, I had the biggest garage sale I've ever held, due to the sheer volume of stuff I am purging to get ready for my new, compact NYC apartment. I advertised in the newspaper, online and put signs around the neighborhood.

My parents came up from Houston to help me get organized (Mommy's specialty) and man the sale. Thank God they did...I don't think I could have done it all on my own. We had a lot of traffic, and Daddy helped people get to their cars with their purchases. He also made us breakfast sandwiches!

It always amazes me to see what people will buy. I had heard from a friend that clothes sell very well at garage sales. I've never sold clothes before; I usually just donate them. But I figured I'd put them out there and if they didn't sell, I'd donate them afterwards. LOTS of people dug through the box of clothes and bought items. I sold most things for $1-2. One lady bought a bra for $1! Why would you buy a bra at a garage sale? Gross.

My new paperweight

I'm working from home for the next couple weeks, and although I miss the people interaction, Sabrina LOVES having me here. She is quite cozy sitting beside my laptop and occasionally resting her head ON the laptop, which causes random characters to appear on my screen.

Pictures of the Apartment!

This first picture is the view from the front door. It has what they call an "open kitchen," so you can see across the counter top through to the living area. Notice the floors...wood parquet.





The view from the living room windows looks southwest towards the Hudson River. The flatter section in the forefront of the image is where they are rebuilding the World Trade Center.






The marble tile in the bathroom is gorgeous!
View of the kitchen from the very small hallway, basically from the bathroom door. There's beautiful granite countertops, and all the appliances are brand new!

Pictures from the explosion in NY

This picture shows the "smoke," which was actually mostly steam. You can also see there are people milling in the street. We are about 10 blocks north of where it occurred.






I was impressed by how quickly the police and firemen mobilized.

The Apartment Search

Looking at apartments is rarely fun, but NYC puts its own spin on it. For starters, apartments go very quickly, so I have been advised to decide quickly. One person told me, "If you see something you think you MIGHT like, take it."

I'm still trying to fight the shock at sticker price and small spaces. Basically, I will be getting 1/3 of the space I have in Dallas for 3 times the cost. But hey, no car payment or insurance...

"Luxury" is a term used loosely here. Some of the places that boast "luxury apartments" should not be able to print that word on their signs. There should be some level of standard for "luxury."

Brokers are NY's special gift to renters. You have to use a broker to even get in to most of the buildings, and a broker's fee is typically 15% of your annual rent. Like realtors, some are more palatable than others, and I received many suggestions to use more than one.

I got two referrals for brokers. The first is a friend of a new coworker, and he was great. Very low-key, nice and knowledgeable about the area we were in. He showed me some terrific places, (definitely what I call "luxury"), but they were more than I had originally thought I'd spend. According to NY standard, I can afford it on my salary, but it still seems like a lot to me.

The second broker was actually a colleague of the person I was referred to, who happens to be in Florida on vacation this week. This colleague is a skinny, petite, NYer who looked and acted like a character from a movie or Sex and the City. She obviously misjudged me - what is important to me, the standard of living I'm looking for, and what I can afford - and she showed me these old, run-down buildings that were pretty lame. Well, one had a nice view of the East River. The closets were insanely small, and she tried to convince me that this is standard for anything I'm going to see. Unfortunately for her, the luxurious places I had seen previously with the other broker don't meet her description.

I decided to go with the nicest place I saw. It's a brand new building (still finishing construction, actually), so I'll be the first one to live in my unit. The doorman wears white gloves (!), there's a fitness center and lap pool, and it's in a great neighborhood, Tribeca. The name is a syllabic abbreviation of "Triangle Below Canal Street." My 1-bedroom apartment has granite countertops, a washer and dryer in the apartment (unheard of in NYC), and beautiful marble tile in the bathroom. The windows in the living room and bedroom look southwest. From my view, I can see the new construction going on at the World Trade Center and see some of the Hudson River. It definitely feels like luxurious living.

Welcome to New York

I felt a thrill reading the "Welcome to NY" sign in La Guardia when I arrived this past Sunday. Yesterday, I got a whole new "thrill"...

I took off from the office around 3:30 to go look at some itty-bitty apartments. The leasing offices all close around 5:30, so I jumped on the subway to head back to Midtown, where my office and my hotel are, planning on getting off at Grand Central.

"Ladies and gentlemen, there has been an emergency evacuation of Grand Central station and this train will not be stopping there. We will stop at 51st Street."

Ok, a little disconcerting, but you try not to panic.

Exiting the subway terminal at 51st and Lexington, I followed the crowd as we headed south on Lex back towards Grand Central.

A large plume of smoke rose between the tall buildings. People stopped in the middle of the street to stare. Everyone was on their cell phones at once, and those not talking were taking pictures of the explosion. 9-11 was on everyone's mind. I immediately thought of notifying my family that I was ok. I couldn't get calls to go through because the network was busy, but I did get a text message out to them all.

Fortunately, it was not a terrorist attack and relatively few people were injured. A transformer fire caused a steam pipe to explode, raining down boiling water and chunks of concrete.

As of this morning, there is a "freeze zone" of several blocks that are completely shut down to pedestrian or motor traffic. There is also a question of asbestos lingering...I saw two policemen this morning wearing bright pink masks. My office building is just beyond the freeze zone, as is my hotel, so I am fortunate not to be too affected by the disruption. It is strange, though, and does give me pause about moving to the city.

Highs and Lows of a New Job

Although Monday was my first day in my new position, today is my first day in the office. On Monday and Tuesday, I attended a conference in New Jersey with my boss and some of my new colleagues. Monday was fine, as I just had to observe and take it all in, but on Tuesday, I had to fill in for my boss and lead a roundtable discussion.

If I had computer access, here's what I would have posted (instead, I wrote it long-hand in my notebook):

Self doubt is a bitch.
Here I am, day 2 in my new job, and my critical internal voice is chiding me, "What have you done? Why did you leave a perfectly good job where you knew everything and everyone liked you?"
I had to lead a discussion on digital communication at a conference for pharma companies. I was prepared, but the group was at times completely silent to my open-ended questions. Sure, I was thrown into the fire awfully early, but I figured I could handle it -- and SHOULD -- given my new title of SVP. Then, there was this jerk next to me who kept taking over the conversation and steering it back where I was trying to get away from. Figures, he's from another agency.

Today is better. First, I got a computer so I'm connected again. I also got to meet some of the wonderful, friendly people here at the NY office, and I was already able to pitch in and help on a current project. Everyone I've met has expressed their delight in having me join the team. I know I'm most likely my toughest critic, but I just hope I don't disappoint them.

Bittersweet

One reason I've been posting all week about my vacation is to avoid posting about my last week at work.

I've worked at this company for just over seven years, and I've made so many close friends. It's so hard to say goodbye, and it's hard for me to imagine not working here. Although I'm thrilled and excited to start my new position, I leave so many good colleagues and fun times behind. I've been crying and laughing, reminiscing about past times, all week. Everyone seems to have the same response: they are happy for me personally, but sad to see me go. I feel the same.

The View from the Other Side

So, after London, I rented a car and drove Lindsey to Bath. I think the experience you get from the smaller towns is more indicative of the cultural differences. Plus, I was really glad we were getting out of London and away from all those tourists!

However, it is definitely a challenge to drive on the opposite side of the road, in the opposite side of the car than you are used to. The motorways (what we refer to as highways) aren't that bad, but as you get into the towns, you have to master the roundabout and seeing oncoming cars on your right instead of your left.

As we entered Bath, I saw the sidewalk on my side of the street (the left) jutted out into the street. I moved to the right a bit to clear it, but I didn't have much room to manuever because of an oncoming vehicle. BUMP! With a jolt, I hit the intruding curb with the front left tire.

We found a car park and wandered into town. We had lovely buns and tea at Sally Lund's, known for their hundred-year-old recipe. After a couple hours, we walked back to the car to drive to Dursley, where my cousin Sonya lives.

Yep, you guessed it: a flat tire.

Fortunately, I know how to change a tire because no one stopped to offer assistance.

We made it to Sonya's after quite a confused drive throughout Bath. The next day, she took us to a tire specialist, who took a look at the dented rim and flattened tire. He estimated we would need to buy a new rim and tire - approximate cost of 600 pounds! Yikes...

Then, Sonya took us to her mechanic, who she has given much business and trusts. He took an anvil and hammer and banged the dent out. He filled the tire and glory be! It held air! Then, he told us it was free of charge. I was so relieved and grateful, I would have hugged him if he wasn't all marked with grease and dirt.

I failed to mention this incident to the rental car, and we were able to turn it in without notice. The rest of my driving was uneventful.

Pictures from Bath, UK

Delicious buns and tea from Sally Lund's, which boasts a century's old recipe.


















Bath is named for its natural hot springs, which were first highly touted by the Romans.










A beautiful shot of the cathedral (and the impending rain).

Images of London

View from a pub's second floor balcony overlooking Leiceter Square, I thought the juxtaposition of the Union Jack flag and a Mexican food restaurant was interesting!










Big Ben










Westminster Abbey









A look across the pond at St. James' Park with Buckingham Palace in the distance

Images of London, part 2

When we went by St. Paul's Cathedral, there was quite a commotion. Apparently, they were filming a scene for the movie National Treasure 2. There were dozens of actors in priestly dress, and other extras positioned around the square. The car chase came through the crowd of priests. The whole scene will probably only end up being 5 seconds of the movie, but it was impressive to see how much coordination occurred.



It rained every day of our trip except for the last two. Lindsey was easy to spot in her bright apple green coat.






The Tower was a great tour. The Tower contains the royal jewels and crowns, the old armory and was the location of many beheadings, including Anne Boleyn, wife to King Henry VIII.









There are a dozen ravens kept at the Tower. When the Tower was being built, several ravens started keeping residence there. It became a legend that as long as the ravens are at the Tower, England will stand strong.

I

Just a Quick Post from the UK

Still alive...loving all my favorite English foods like Indian curries, chicken curry pie, fish & chips, and full English breakfasts! But don't worry: we're walking and walking and walking, burning off those calories.

The absolute best thing in London was the Concert for Diana last Sunday. I'll blog more about it at another time...we don't have long on the computer now. But the artists were great and the video clips about people knowing Diana were heart-warming. My favorite was Andrea Bocelli singing Phantom of the Opera. Goosebumps!

Great Anticipation

Tomorrow starts my vacation! I am meeting my 25-year-old cousin Lindsey in London. We're going to see London, Bath and Amsterdam. So, don't expect to hear much from me for the next 10 days or so!

It's nice to have a break, although everything in my life seems in flux. Still, it's been so emotionally grueling to tell my great colleagues and friends that I'm leaving. There have been many tears, and more to come, I'm sure. Once I return from holiday, I will have one more week at work before I start my new job.

The Big News

The other news I've been on pins and needles about and not able to blog about is MY NEW JOB!!!!

A couple months ago, I got a call from a recruiter looking for internet marketing specialists for a large public relations firm. I am familiar with the firm and know of their great reputation, so I told the recruiter I was interested in learning more.

Several weeks and interviews later, the company determined they DEFINITELY wanted to hire me, but not for the position for which I originally interviewed, which was to be in their Dallas office. Because of my health background and my experience working with healthcare and pharmaceutical companies, this PR company wanted me to consider their New York City office where they handle healthcare/pharma accounts.

New York City? Oh, yeah!

That's why I was there for my birthday - for interviews. Last Friday, I received an incredible offer, to be a Senior Vice President with them, complete with a generous relocation package and signing bonus!

Today, I officially accepted their offer and resigned from my company, where I have been for over seven years. It will be so hard to say goodbye to my great friends and colleagues, but I am excited about this incredible opportunity, too.

Color Test

You gotta try this!

Glidden, the paint company, has a simple, quick test on their website that seems to be quite accurate in its results. Here are my results:

* You are an active person desiring to please your friends and family…capable of generosity.
* You are a very selective individual regarding the purchase of items which reflect your good taste and appearance.
* Circumstances in your life appear to be preventing you from progressing…believing in yourself will provide you strength.
* You feel you have made mistakes by not acting quickly on opportunities…and you are now determined you will not let another potential opportunity pass you by.
* You are afraid you might be prevented from achieving the things you want and therefore feel others should recognize your right to them.

Try it out at Glidden's Color Test.

The Guy

Wow, seven comments on my last post! Okay, so now that you're here...

I've been seeing Oscar for a few weeks. I've been reluctant to mention him previously because he's significantly younger than me! However, he is a mature, responsible, socially adept guy, and we've been having fun just hanging out and enjoying good meals together.

I met him at my current favorite fancy restaurant. He is a waiter there, and after seeing him twice, I gave him my card. He called, and we've been getting together once or twice a week since then. He's originally from Mexico, so he's been helping me with my Spanish and introducing me to restaurants around town that I didn't know about.

Last Friday, he took me salsa dancing! It was a blast. The music was SO SO loud, and if we go back, I will definitely bring ear plugs! The place was just buzzing with energy, and people were packed onto the dance floor. Others just danced wherever they were in the club, next to the bar or in an unofficial walkway. Oscar claimed he's not a great dancer, but he was very good. I had a difficult time keeping up!

Foreshadowing

Sorry for no posting...I guess I was so wiped out by the Triathlon that I couldn't think of anything to write. Nah, not really. I actually felt really good this year after finishing, and the next day my muscles weren't even that sore.

I've actually been trying to avoid talking about a few things that are happening in my life, so it makes it difficult to find other things to write about. I'm just not ready to share yet, but soon.

So, here's a question to my readers: how do you avoid, or treat, beard-burn? You know, the scratchy rash you get from kissing a guy with a heavy beard, even if he's shaved that day. The kissing part is fun, but my sensitive skin just screams for relief.

We Did It!

My goal in completing the Danskin Triathlon this year was to beat my time from last year. (Last year's goal was just to finish!) I beat my time by 3 minutes! Not a lot, but I felt a lot stronger this year and was happy about my personal performance.

I didn't panic on the swim this year, and just kept plugging along until I finished. There's a slight hill from the swim finish to the transition area, where you get your stuff for the next event, and I ran that hill. The bike portion was good, but those Austin hills are incredibly difficult. For the last event, the "run," I mostly walked, but I power-walked. Coming up the last big hill where I could see the finish line, I spotted Jenn, Anthony and the kids, wearing the t-shirts I made them that said "My Mommy and My Auntie TRI." Anna grabbed my hand and jogged the last 50 yards or so with me across the finish line! It was so sweet and very encouraging.

Jenn finished her third full triathlon this year, and she encouraged two other women from her vet clinic to join us. They did great, and three of us ran the last 50 yards with the final girl in the group. It was so exhilarating and inspiring.

We finished with a lovely brunch/lunch at a local Mexican restaurant, complete with Mexican beer. Then we came home and took a nap!

Not my typical Saturday!

Night before the big triathlon. I'm nervous, although not as much as last year when I wasn't sure what to expect. Now I'm just anxious for it to begin and hoping I'll do well. Mostly I'm worried about the murky water in the swim (it makes me hyperventilate a bit) and my asthma on the run. But, I know I can do it.

We took our bikes over this morning and got our registration packets. Then I had such a treat: Anna's ballet recital! She looked simply gorgeous in her silver and white tutu with her hair pulled back in a neat bun. They even put makeup on her, and with her hair pulled back, I could see a glimpse of the young woman she will become. Pictures below.

Pictures from Anna's first ballet recital

Evelyn Bea

The newest member of our family, Evelyn Bea, born on Friday, June 8th in the wee hours of the morning, 6 lbs 15 oz, 18 inches, seen here with her Nana and in her mother's loving hands.

She's Here!

I was wakened by my phone at 6:30 this morning. I recognized it was a Houston number.

"Is it time?" I asked.
"She's already here!" Steph replied.

Seems once she decided to arrive, it all happened quickly, around 3:30 this morning. I'm just about to jump in my car and head to Houston. Will post more and pictures when I can!

Right time, right place, right person: Once

Our family is anxiously awaiting the newest member -- my sister Stephanie was having many regular contractions yesterday, but my new little niece stayed put for another night.

I went to the Angelika last night with a friend. (Kept my phone on vibrate just in case I got a call about the baby.) It's an artsy movie house that plays foreign films and other small budget productions. We saw Once, an Irish film about a singer/songwriter. I enjoyed it, but my friend - a guy - thought it was too slow. (It was his idea to go to the Angelika for a foreign film, so I didn't feel much pity for him.)

I was impressed that most of the songs performed were actually written by the actor/singer, Glen Hansard. He's so passionate when he sings, like he's pouring his heart out. Very powerful.

A Great Date

On Monday night, I was honored to witness a couple friends get married. They are both sweet, good people, and their wedding was attended by only family and close friends. The bride, Michelle, had asked me months ago who I would be bringing as my +1. I decided to take my dad, who had met the couple when he was visiting me a few years ago.

The church was beautiful, with exquisite stained glass windows, tiled floor and richly toned wood pews. The ceremony was Catholic and long, and two priests led the service. One of the priests was quite old, and between his manner of speaking and the echo from the tile floor, I had a hard time understanding him. Fortunately, the other priest gave the homily.

The reception was held at a local winery. The spacious, high-ceilinged room was bookended with large wine casks, and the open bar served their wine and several types of beer. Tasty hors d'ouvers were served while we waited for the bride and groom to finish with photography. Later, they served a buffet with pasta, pork tenderloin and marinated vegetables.

They had both a DJ and a live Salsa band, which rocked the room with its trumpets and saxophone, among other instruments. There was a lot of dancing, especially by the groom's father! I think he hardly sat down.

Still, I think the best part of the evening for me was when, as I dropped off my dad at the airport to return home, he told me, "you look beautiful."

Simple Indulgence

One of the ways I like to spoil myself is with a maid that comes every other week. She came and cleaned today, and it's so nice.

I love it when everything is neat. Of course, sometimes I see things that I would have done maybe more thoroughly, but this way, I get to enjoy my weekends doing other things than cleaning.

Ugh

I seem to have caught a nasty stomach virus. It began late Monday night and is just now starting to fade. The main symptoms are very painful cramps in the stomach, nausea, and low grade fever.

My diet of saltine crackers and ginger ale helps somewhat, but I feel weak. Hopefully, I'll lose weight, though!

The Big Apple for the Big Birthday

So, I'm in NYC for my birthday (yesterday) and a couple extra days. I'm imagining what it might be like to live here, and I spent most of today wandering around different neighborhoods, including the Upper West Side, Soho and Chinatown. I brought comfortable - although not great support - shoes, but my feet are killing me from all the walking.

Ok, so I wouldn't LIVE in Chinatown, but it's such a sight, I had to see it. I took a few pictures, which I'll post separately. The only thing I bought (other than a vegetarian lunch) was 2 pounds of sugar snap peas for $1!

Tonight, I'm having dinner with a new friend and his wife and kids in Brooklyn. Tomorrow, I'm planning on a bit more wandering and then my flight back to Dallas.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes. I got very touching cards from my grandma and aunt, and three calls singing me happy birthday from my nieces and nephews and parents. I feel very blessed and loved.

Sore muscles and itchy bug bites

So, in addition to Colin's birthday party, Jenn scheduled some triathlon training for Sunday. We did a 5K with the Pflugerville Pfun Run, and Jenn and Anthony left me in the dust! I was actually very frustrated with the organizers because the start clock went from 7 minutes to zero when they noticed everyone was ready to go. I was planning on taking my asthma medicine at 5 minutes before the start. I took it as they blew the horn and had a pretty good asthma attack within the first mile. I was so angry with my body. My legs felt like they could have kept going, but my chest was screaming with pain and I just couldn't get enough oxygen. I walked most of the 3.1 miles and finished in 42 minutes. (Jenn finished in an incredible 30 minutes.)

Then, we met up with a couple of girls from Jenn's vet clinic and went out to Pflugerville Lake. Jenn had determined that across and back was about 1/2 mile, the distance we will swim in the triathlon in June. The water was cold, which makes you gasp for breath, and then putting your head in the opaque, green water, you realize you can't see even 12 inches in front of your face. This freaks me out a bit, so I spent most of the way across with my head up, doing the breaststroke. At least we didn't have multitudes of other women to compete for space. Halfway across, I didn't know how I was going to make it. Once we got to the other side, we rested for a few minutes and readied our minds to head back. Anthony decided to walk around. The rest of us had had more recent swim practice, and he felt safer walking than risking being out in the middle completely exhausted.

Although the way back was against the current, amazingly, we all agreed it was actually easier than the first half! I was able to get my face in the water more and really concentrate on my stroke, which I think moves me farther. I also battled my right leg cramping, but I made it to the other side.

Once we reunited with Anthony and were discussing how the triathlon has people in canoes with those foam noodles for support, Anthony made the comment, "See, if I only had a noodle, I could have made it." We girls all cracked up, and someone repeated, "...if only Anthony had a noodle!"

In addition to the tired, sore muscles, there must have been chiggers in the field by the lake. I have 7 bites, and they are so damn annoying! I've tried Caladryl and hydrocortizone cream, but nothing is really taking away the itch.

Colin's 4th Birthday Celebration

Anthony made another of his incredible cakes. Not only is it a work of art, it was delicious, too!

The party was held at the neighborhood park, which is so nice because the kids can play on the playscape and it's not a big deal if anyone spills or drops something.


Jenn came up with a great, simple, train-inspired game for the kids to play. Each one had to fill up a small bucket with pea gravel from the playscape, then run back and put it into the big bucket. We imagined that the gravel was coal needed for the train. There was no competition, but the kids cheered each other on to "hurry, hurry!"


I'm always impressed that Jenn provides such healthy food for the kids to snack on. There was popcorn, veggies like carrots and broccoli, sandwiches and grapes. Plus, cake and ice cream of course!

A good time was had by all, especially the birthday boy.

Which character are you most like?

I love the show "Grey's Anatomy." I recently visited ABC's website to read more about the actors and found this quiz. Most of the description actually fits me pretty well!

Grey's Diagnosis:
You're Meredith

You don't always make the right choices, but you get points for trying, bouncing right back, and starting over. For being so "dark and twisty," you have a surprisingly sunny outlook on life. You're quick to jump into new relationships but just as quick to jump out. After the example your parents set, learning to trust someone else takes just about everything you've got.

Balloons

I work in a very casual, creative office. One of my best buds here at work and my next-office-door neighbor Justin went on vacation for TWO WEEKS. I missed him terribly and encouraged our whole team to help me decorate his office for his homecoming.

Last Friday, we blew up 500 balloons and packed them into his office. They were waist high. A few popped as we were packing them in, and we learned not to blow them up too much. I made everyone blow up at least a couple to help share the load. Four of us finished the last 100 or so and were very light-headed!

Justin was thrilled when he came in on Monday. He laughed and said it looked like a party and that he was going to keep it this way always.

Two days later, though, he was annoyed by the persistent rubber smell and the multiple colors assaulted his minimalist approach to decorating. I helped him deflate them. Sure was much easier to deflate than inflate!

Visiting with Bess

I visited my great aunt Bess in the nursing home again today. She looks a bit better -- the bruises from her fall are fading -- and she was definitely more talkative, but her mind seemed more addled.

We did talk a little about death, and as my dad commented on my last post about Bess, she told me that when she has thought it was close, she's not ready. She said it's because it (death) is so mysterious.

I told her I think it's welcoming, calm, like a homecoming and reminded her of her family and close loved ones who will be there welcoming her. She said, "but I'm so much older now, they may not recognize me." I laughed and said it's her soul they will recognize.

I got her to laugh a couple times. I stayed for over an hour, and one time I asked her if she was getting tired. She replied she's always tired (a symptom of the congestive heart failure), and since I was sitting at the foot of her bed, I told her to just kick me out when she was tired of me. She chuckled and said she wouldn't kick me like a mule...and did I know a mule was the combination of a horse and a donkey?

That's how the conversation went, from one topic to the next without much purpose. I loved hearing her stories of her parents, my great-grandparents, and how she met her husband -- on a ship travelling back from the States to South America. I finally said I had to go -- I was meeting a friend for dinner. A man? she asked with hope in her voice. No, I laughed. Just a girlfriend.

I'm a "Lac-tard"

I recently found out I'm lactose-intolerant. My goddaugher Annie knows several people in her close circle who are lactose-intolerant and has coined the name "Lac-tard."

Lactose intolerance develops when the body has difficulty digesting whole and skim milk and other dairy products. Lactose is a milk sugar and like most sugars, it is broken down by enzymes in the intestinal tract so it can be absorbed as an energy source. The enzyme that breaks down lactose is called lactase. When the intestine does not contain lactase, then lactose intolerance can occur. It is a troublesome and annoying problem, but it is never a serious one. Symptoms include nausea, abdominal cramps and rumbling, bloating, gas, and diarrhea.

I've learned that it's fairly common. Most infants and small children have lactase to be able to digest their mother's milk, but as we get older, we lose the ability to produce lactase.

So, I'm now a lactaid-carrying member of this group. I've never been fond of milk or yogurt, but I LOVE cheese. Fortunately, swallowing a couple of Lactaid with the meal seems to work. It's great not being bloated all the time!

My interview from Steph

My sister Steph sent me these questions; the answers are originally mine. :-)

1. When it's all said and done, what do you hope to be remembered for?

I hope to be remembered as a loving and caring person who touched the lives of those who knew her.

2. What are five things you hope to do before you die?

a. Have a child -- ideally birth one myself, but if not, adopt or foster care.
b. Travel for vacation more, especially to Italy, Germany, Austria, New Zealand, Africa.
c. Find someone who can truly be a partner for the rest of my life.
d. Learn how to fly a plane.
e. Be a grandparent.

3. Enough with the life and death stuff -- when you really want to cut loose, what do you do?

Sing or dance. I love singing in front of a live audience, but since that's not always readily available, I love turning up the radio or iPod and singing at the top of my lungs to myself or my cat Sabrina. I also love to go out dancing. I love the energy.

4. If money were no object, where would you live?
Not sure, since I haven't visited everywhere I want yet, but it would have to be somewhere near the ocean. I just love the water and feel more at peace when I am there.

5. If you could invite 4 close friends/family and 4 others (celebrities, dead or alive geniuses, etc) to dinner, who would you invite and why?
This is tough because I don't want any of my friends or family who read this to not feel included, so I will focus on the "others."
I would invite:
Oprah because she is spiritual, incredibly successful and seems to love a good time
Ellen Degeneres because she makes me laugh
Josh Duhamel and George Clooney because they are hot and it would be fun to watch them!

A Brief Visit

My grandmother likes to be the news-teller. And she's pretty good at spreading the word when things are happening, good or bad.

I heard from my mom that my grandmother's eldest sister Bess had fallen and was admitted into the hospital. She's had to move from her assisted living apartment into full-time nursing care. Since she lives in Dallas, I decided to go visit.

I called my grandmother for the info, and she warned me that Bess is feisty and stubborn and has said she doesn't want visitors. Grandma suggested I call first. Nah...

I went over after work, found the room with her name outside and looked at both of the elderly women in the room, calling "Bess?" As I turned to double-check I had the correct room, the first woman said, "I'm Bess." I hadn't even recognized her. Since I last saw her -- a few months ago? -- she seems to have aged 20 years. Granted, she is almost 96, but she has never looked so gaunt, thin and just wasted away. She is confined to her bed now and has a greenish-purple bruise over her left eye where she fell.

I tried to recover quickly and reminded her who I am, but no need -- her mind is still sharp. She said, "But I told everyone that I don't want visitors..." and I replied, "Well, I thought about calling, but you would have told me not to come." She agreed. And I said, "So I didn't call!" She laughed and told me she was glad I came.

We had a nice albeit brief visit. I rubbed her swollen legs and we talked about her oxygen machine (too noisy for her). She said the food's not that good, but she's not very hungry anyway. She told me to tell everyone hello and not to come visit, but when I asked if I could come visit again, she said yes.

It just breaks my heart to see her or any of the numerous elderly people there. What kind of quality of life is that? None. I don't want that, nor would they, I suppose.

If you could be someone else for a day or a lifetime...

...who would you be?

This was how we opened up a recent client meeting to "break the ice." Some people said a superhero, others said a writer or a sports hero.

If I had it to do over again, I'd be a doctor.

At the time (early twenties), I didn't think I had what it takes. The many hours of studying (which I witnessed firsthand in my sister, Vetmommy), the long hours of rounds...but now I know, if you are determined and put your mind to it, you can do almost anything.

So, readers and lurkers, who (or what) would you be?

Yea! Yea! Yea! It's all OK!

Just got home from a BIG lunch with my girlfriends, who picked me up after the procedure. (I was STARVING)

The colon looks good - just some internal hemorrhoids that have already mostly healed.

I'm grateful it's over and very glad it's not anything more serious. Thanks for the good thoughts!

Care for a Drink?

Being over 30 brings all sorts of lovely new adventures. One I've mentioned before - chinny hairs. Also, skin begins to droop and your metabolism begins it's decent into nothingness.

But now I've got a new one. If you have any unusual symptoms in the digestive system and you are over 30, doctors recommend a colonoscopy. Mine is scheduled for tomorrow.

Today, all I can have is clear liquids: water, tea with no milk, jello, broth, soda...this will be my diet. I'm thrilled that jello counts, as it will be the only semi-solid I can have. I also get to drink 2 pints of a briny, slightly lemony mixture that will cause my system to purge anything within. That begins this afternoon, and I have been forewarned to stay at home near the bathroom. Ah, joy!

The preparation is supposed to be the worst part, and I'm not concerned about the procedure per se. I'm scared to death about what they might find.

What's in a name?

My virtual friend and fellow blogger, Hannah, uses descriptive pseudonyms for the people in her life. I started thinking about using her technique to refer to my exes:

Ex-Husband #1: Concrete Cowboy or Deceased Ex Angry Drunk (DEAD)?
Ex-Husband #2: Military Nut or Fast & Furious or Fixer-Upper?
Previous boyfriend: Ex Coworker Ex or Techie Junkie or Extreme Ex? (my sister recommended Rodless)
Last boyfriend: Recent Ex or Hung-up-on-Ex-Ex or No Boundaries or Needs Closure?

Most of my readers are close friends and family and know more than I blog about for each of these characters. Feel free to vote for your favorite (one for each) or come up with one of your own!

(By the way, the Deceased Ex died from a construction accident...not my doing!)

Sometimes, it's nice being a woman

A woman walks into a bar/restaurant. All the patio tables are full, so she surveys the scene in the bar area. She takes a seat at the counter where she has an empty seat on either side.

After ordering a margarita (on the rocks, no salt), an older man down the bar waves to catch her eye - no subtlety there. He tells her he has bought her drink and the next one. He soon leaves and wishes her a good evening.

She strikes up a conversation with the businessman to her right, who is eagerly reading (devouring?) the Wall Street Journal. He begins to talk while still reading the paper. She apologizes for interrupting his reading - being an avid reader herself - and he apologizes for being rude, puts down the paper, and proceeds to engage her in an interesting conversation for the next hour and a half. When she makes a move to leave, he buys her another margarita.

He just moved to Dallas four months ago from Montana. He asks her about good places to go in town. He thinks he's much older than the young-looking woman. (He's 41.) He earnestly guesses her age to be 25, maybe 26?

The evening is concluded with an exchange of phone numbers.

A Great Pair

Last Friday (Friday the 13th) was a crazy weather day in Dallas. We had heavy rain, hail, strong winds and a tornado warning. I drove home in pea-sized hail, but more concerning was the fire truck parked outside my house when I arrived.

It turned out to be minor: a tree branch in the yard behind mine had touched the power line and was sparking. The rain put it out naturally, but as we were all looking up, I saw in my peripheral vision a large bird flying across my yard. I tried to see where it went but couldn't make it out.

I put in my garden this weekend (finally!) and spent many hours outside. I again saw and heard the large bird perched in my pecan tree. It's HUGE! And then I noticed there are two of them! They made a strange noise, something like a frog croak and a bark. They are about two feet tall with long necks and long beaks, and they are nesting high up in the tree branches.

I looked them up this morning: they are Great Blue Herons.

Adjusting to Singledom Again

I read a fluffy non-fiction book recently on a plane called Spinster Sisters. (You can probably tell by the title why it appealed to me!)

I particularly related to this passage, where one sister is being supportive of the other who recently broke up with her boyfriend:

"I'm proud of you."
"You know, I'm kind of proud of myself."
Not to mention sad, and f**king terrified, and more than a little lonesome. But, you know, in a proud way.

That's exactly how I feel. It's been nice to have my landlady/coworker/roommate this past week. I'm anxious to get my stuff organized and set up, but it's been nice having company.

"The Ladies"

I spent Easter weekend with my grandmother and great aunt, who I commonly call "my grandparents" but who are referred to by the family as "the Ladies."

Grandma is 86. She is about 4'10" but has more energy than most people half her age. She was the baby of her family, and she loves to be in the spotlight.

Sudie, my great aunt, is 92. She is the opposite of her younger sister. She is quiet, contemplative and a scholar.

Life moves at a much slower pace at the Ladies' house. Coming from my world where I usually have to multitask and never get everything done, it feels like time grinds to a halt. I often find myself fighting sleep at their place, no matter what the time of day.

This is amplified by the heat. The temperature can always be counted on to be very warm in their cottage, and with the cold front that came through last weekend, I knew they would have it cranked up extra high. Sure enough, I ended up in a t-shirt and jeans, nothing on my feet, and put my hair up to try not to overheat. Sudie was alarmed that my feet were bare.

Both of the Ladies are experiencing the effects of macular degeneration, which has deteriorated their eyesight significantly. They both are avid readers, and their dwindling eyesight depresses them. Smaller type faces are impossible to decipher, so Sudie gave me a pile of books that she can't enjoy.

She also asked me if I was interested in a magazine called Farm.
Sudie: "Emily, are you interested in Farm?"
Emily: "No, not really." (I said politely)
Sudie: "It has an interesting article about alternative fuels."
Emily: "You know, I think Anthony (my bro-in-law) would enjoy that."
Sudie: "Oh, that's a good idea."
Grandma, coming down the hall: "What are you talking about?"
Sudie: "I was asking Emily if she was interested in Farm."
Grandma: "Oh! I thought you said 'Porn'! I didn't think we had any, and I couldn't figure out why you were giving it to Emily."

I cracked up. I didn't know my grandmother even KNEW that word! Guess their hearing is going, too.

Travels

I haven't written in awhile. I've been racking up the frequent flyer miles on my favorite airlines, American and Southwest.

Last weekend, I went to Austin to celebrate with my niece, Anna, who is now 6 years old. She is beautiful and so precious.

After one night at home, it was off to NYC for work. Although my clients keep me pretty busy, we did get to eat at a terrific restaurant tonight, Spice Market, in the trendy meat-packing district. It's an Indian/Asian fusion place. All the dishes were served family style, and they brought out dish after dish of delicious tasting meats, fish and veggies. Mmm...

And although the swanky hotel I'm staying in has white noise in each room, I'm looking forward to going home tomorrow to sleep in my own bed.

Online Dating

So, since I work, bank and shop online, it seems natural to try to meet other professional singles online, too.

It's been a few years since I did this, but I swear I'm seeing some of the same faces and reading the same profiles I saw then! Many descriptions read alike. Here are some of my favorite clips:

"Scars r better than tats." - I agree.
"I'm back in the dating scene after a long relationship that didn't work out." - Great, can anyone say 'Rebound'???
"No emotional wrecks need apply."
"Not looking for a gold digger."
"I'm tired of the bar scene..."
"This is my first time doing this..."
"I promise not to tell our friends how we met."

Forward Progress

Thank God for Care Now clinics, antibiotics, steroids, inhalers and decongestant/expectorants -- I'm on the mend! I haven't been this sick in years, and I'm so grateful to be feeling better and gaining back my energy.

My new bedroom furniture was delivered on Friday, and a new mattress to go with it was delivered this morning. I can't wait to go to bed tonight!

Better Late than Never - Pics from San Antonio

(Paige insisted on getting her temporary tatoo on her lumbar area!)

Gross, and a little self-deprecating

Words I loathe:
mucus
phlegm
drainage

It seems my body has always produced an excessive amount of mucus. I remember my mom always telling me to blow my nose as a child because she could hear I was congested. We also had this conversation frequently:
Mom: Emily, do you want a mint?
Emily: No thanks.
Mom: Yes, you do.
Emily: No, I really don't want one.
Mom: Yes, you DO.
(bad breath due to drainage, I guess.)

I am one of those people who blows my nose everyday, no matter what the weather, allergy forecast or my health status. I have boxes of tissues in every room of my house, in my office and in my car. And thanks to the rosacea I got in my thirties, my skin is so sensitive, I have to use tissues with aloe or blisters will form on that tiny bit of skin separating the nostrils. And those aren't pretty. And they hurt. And I still have to blow daily.

So, now I have a virus. Mostly it's been a chest cold, which produces lots of fun coughing and hacking up stuff. But I also have been blowing my nose a fair bit. And now, I have a pimple INSIDE my left nostril! OUCH! I really don't need this. It's enough to suffer with the coughs and nose-blowing. Oh well, at least it's not visible from the outside, causing people to wonder if it's a whiffle booger that might fall on the next exhale...

What a Freakin' MONDAY!

So I got all my stuff moved on Saturday. I couldn't do much after the movers left. After all the boxing and lifting and fighting this virus I've caught, I was completely exhausted. On Sunday, I didn't feel much better, but I did manage to unpack most of my kitchen boxes.

Late yesterday afternoon, my god-daughter Annie brought over her pups, a teacup chihuahua and a chihuahua-Jack Russell terrier mix. They are adorable, and I agreed to watch them this week while Annie is on spring break in Florida.

I decided to wake up a little extra early this morning to take care of the dogs and get them packed up and ready for the office. One of the perks at my work is the ability to bring well-behaved dogs to work with you.

Not knowing how cold the morning might be, I decided to throw on a robe just in case. Out to the big back yard we went. These little dogs are in heaven in my large yard, and I enjoyed watching them chase each other. After a few minutes, I decided to head in for a shower...uh, oh...the door is locked behind me. I didn't realize when I came out that the HANDLE lock was set in the lock position! Ack! It's still dark out, and I have no keys or phone. Oh jeez...

I remembered my friend/landlord told me she had done this before and that the nice elderly couple next door had a key. I didn't see any lights on next door, so I decided to wait a bit and hope they woke up.

After a half an hour or so, I decided to go ring their bell and wake them up. I rang, I knocked, but no answer. Ok, so they're either hearing impaired or they're not home. Next?

I went across the street. At least there were lights on.

Imagine this: someone rings your doorbell and when you open the door, you see your brand new neighbor slightly disheveled, standing in her robe on your front porch.

Well, they say everything happens for a reason. I met my neighbors, who are SO nice, and they allowed me to use their phone to call a locksmith. They graciously gave me delicious Italian coffee and kept me company at their kitchen table while I waited for the locksmith, who called to say he was stuck in traffic and would be an additional 20 minutes.

Finally getting back into my house, I quickly showered and got to work, forgetting my security card and sweating most of my makeup off by the time I got to my office. Oh well. At least I had the puppies to keep my spirits up. Too bad my cat Sabrina doesn't feel the same way about them.

Bolstered by Good Lovin's...Heading Back

Sea World yesterday was a blast. The heavy clouds kept the weather cool for most of the day, and we wore out our feet trekking around the park. My back was the most sore, though, but I was happy to give many piggyback rides and carry weary toddlers.

I got such great lovings from all four of my nieces and nephews. They are so sweet. It definitely lifted my spirits and gives me a happy memory to chase away the sad emotions.

I'm heading back "home" now, going to pack up more stuff and my cat and move them across town. The movers come on Saturday, but it will be awhile before I'm organized and settled into my new place. For now, I'm just trying to make do and get through. I feel numb in some ways, but I'm often on the verge of tears.

Sisters are the best medicine

And I mean "sisters" in the broader sense. My girlfriends have been a great support in Dallas, but when I heard both my sisters and their kiddos along with our cousin Beverly were going to be together in San Antonio, I decided I couldn't miss the opportunity to be with so many people I love.

The original plan was to go swimming today at the hotel, but the rain has ruled that out. Instead, Colin and I "explored" the lobby, Anna got her hair braided, and everyone except Colin got temporary tattoos. Paige insisted on getting hers in the lumbar section of her back! Everyone was chuckling as she sassily stuck her hip out and let the girl paint her pink and purple stars and moons.

We just got into the rooms, and the kids are thrilled. Colin walked around and around, pulling his wheeled suitcase and exclaimed over the "new soap!" Anna was thrilled about the TV and just had to call Dad at home to tell him about the beautiful room. Graham's first order of business was to unpack his "lovies," and Paige had to change into more comfortable clothes.

If the weather lets up, we will be visiting Sea World tomorrow.

Spring's New Beginnings

Sorry...long time no post.

Besides a busy work schedule where I'm trying to train two new people which will help me tremendously, I'm also turning my personal life upside down.

Steve and I have broken up. I'm temporarily staying with a dear friend, who graciously lives just 5 minutes from my work. (Not having that long commute is a huge blessing.) I've found a new place to live (another blessing) and will be moving my stuff next weekend. Janet helped me pack up at least half of my belongings this weekend. My body hurts and my hands have multiple scratches. I'm exhausted, physically and emotionally, but I've been sleeping soundly and feel like this is the right decision for me.

I'm trying to find myself again. I've been reading this delightful book called "Eat, Pray, Love" written by a woman after her divorce while she travels through Italy for the pursuit of pleasure, India to focus on spirituality, and Indonesia to find balance. I relate to her quest so much. Here's one passage that I can identify with:

"...I have boundary issues with men. Or maybe that's not fair to say. To have issues with boundaries, one must have boundaries in the first place, right? But I disappear into the person I love. If I love you, you can have everything. You can have my time, my devotion, my ass, my money, my family, my dog, my dog's money, my dog's time -- everything. If I love you, I will carry for you all your pain, I will assume for you all your debts (in every definition of the word), I will protect you from your own insecurity, I will project upon you all sorts of good qualities that you have never actually cultivated in yourself and I will buy Christmas presents for your entire family. I will give you the sun and the rain...I will give you all this and more, until I get completely exhausted and depleted..."

I'm working on it.

Philly, for Work

I arrived in Philly yesterday. I'm excited that I'm up here to train a new employee. She will be taking over a couple of my accounts that are in this area, and that will help my workload tremendously.

I arrived at the airport late afternoon. I always feel comfortable in airports. Guess it seems normal to me after living in an airline family. I find them easy to navigate.

The past times I've been here for work, I've taken taxis, but now that I know where the office is, I decided to rent a car. I remember when I was fresh out of college and travelling with my first job -- I wasn't old enough to rent a car! Nice not to have to worry about that now.

I always feel a little apprehension driving in a new place, but I've found my way around many cities. New Jersey is one of the most difficult because they don't allow left turns. Everywhere else, you can always turn around and backtrack if you need to. I've learned that I have a pretty good sense of direction, and I've also learned some of my coworkers couldn't find their way out of a paper sack!

It's cold up here, but I'm hot inside. Whenever I travel north during the winter, I've noticed how high they set the heat. So now, I'm sitting in a sleeveless mock turtleneck while the locals are dressed in long-sleeves. I also have to turn the air on in my hotel room to compensate for the heat that is rising through the building.

Someday, I hope I actually get to explore this city a bit. Every trip I've taken up here has been so dominated by work, I haven't had a chance to see all the historical sights.

Check it out...

One of the projects I've been working on for several months launched today. I have a sense of pride but mostly relief that it is done. I'm anxious to see how it is received by the public.

http://www.apositivelife.com