… Marcos could, I wonder if she’d try to cast one of her 1,060 shoes in the same direction.
I babble, I know. But if you wanna get a nice little chuckle today, click on this link.
My personal favorite is the Dodgeball one.
Show and Tell: The Pointer Cousins
I realize it’s been over a week since I last posted here … and more that a couple weeks since doing a Sunday Show and Tell. I’d blame it all on the holidays, but truth be told … Hubby & I just started our Christmas shopping over the past week.
And now … here it is, the week of Christmas. Yikes. And double Yikes!
Anyway, today I wanna share with you a photo from last year‘s Christmas with my Dad’s side of the family. It’s been years since more than two or three of our families have gotten together for the holidays. Which is weird, because growing up I found myself either at one of my Dad’s siblings’ home on Christmas or everyone was at our house.
Last year, we managed to get all of my Dad’s siblings together at my Aunt’s house. Not all of the cousins were there, but I do have to say … getting six out of eleven of us there is nothing short of a Christmas miracle.
So anyway … the picture I’m sharing today is a group shot of all the cousins that were present. We wanted to get a picture with our “Nanay.” (Filipino for “Mom,” but us cousins have always called our Grandmother that, instead of “Lola” – which is Filipino for “Grandma. Yes, we’re weird.) Except of course … being the crazy ones that we were, we had to make it fun. And thus ….
Here we are, the Pointer Cousins … doing our rendition of “Jump (for My Love)”.
And just because I love watching Hu.gh Grant shake is booty … here’s an extra bonus clip from my favorite movie (probably of all times), “Love, Actually”
If I don’t get a chance to post before the madness, which in our family begins on Christmas Eve … I hope that every single one of you have an incredible Holiday. May the warmth of family and friends this holiday season carry over into 2009!
Happy Festivus and Merry Chrismahanukwanzakah to you all!
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Now, make sure you head over to Mel’s and check out the rest of the Show and Tell items for the week!!
My Hubby, My Hiro
Not to be completely cheesy here, but I’ve always believed that my Hubby is my own personal, honest-to-G*d hero. I’m sure part of it is because I met my Hubby during my sophomore year in high school and were friends first before starting to date the summer before starting college. And I’m not saying these things to put him high up on a pedestal. Simply put … he is my best friend and because of that, I place all my trust in him.
That song … the one by Enrique Iglesias … came out just before my laparotomy. This was the big surgery where I’d get my bikini c-section scar without the baby to show for it. The surgery to do some major clearing out of the endometriosis that was thought to be the reason I couldn’t get pregnant. (Little did I know then that it was also a combination of my “tricked out” hormones thanks to PCOS. Oh, how hindsight is always 20/20 … grrr.) And even though I had two previous laparascopies beforehand, the thought of this surgery somehow scared the living daylights out of me.
But it was that song, “Hero” that seemed to pacify my nerves. Perhaps it was because that particular song came on during one of the many tearful moments spent prior to the surgery. When Hubby held my hand while wiping my tears off my cheek with his other hand. All while Enrique would sing about kissing away my pain. And standing by me forever. So yes, to this day every time I hear that chorus, I think of that particular moment.
Okay … so really, this wasn’t supposed to be all serious here. What I was actually getting at was how Hubby & I have loved watching the TV show “Heroes.” When we first saw previews of the series two years prior, we both knew this was a show we wanted to watch. I mean, really … we’re talking about two people that have traveled as far as San Diego for Hubby’s love of comics! So to have a TV show based on poeple with “special powers”? Yeah, totally up our alley.
For those of you that have never seen the series, one of the major characters is an Asian with the power to “bend” time. Of all things, his name is “Hiro,” which is pronounces just like the word “hero.”
While Hiro’s power is cool, the thing that has made him our favorite character is who he is as a person. In the beginning, Hiro is this typical Japanese character who works in a boring office setting feeling as if he’s destined for greater things. When he learns about his power, he immediately relates it to his best friend, Ando as having special abilities just like in one of his favorite comic book series, X-Men. Among a series of events, Hiro and Ando find out that their “lives” are being depicted in a comic book written by another person with special powers. By reading this comic , he comes to the conclusion that it is destiny to use his powers for good. And throughout the past two seasons, Hiro and Ando have managed to get into difficult situations but have always managed to come out of the scrapes together.
So, I’m sure you’ve probably figured out why I’m giving you this whole schpiel. First, the “Hero” song. Then the TV show “Heroes.” And finally the Asian character on the same show, “Hiro.”
Obviously, this all relates back to Hubby and how he is literally my Hiro. Let’s just say that not only are there character similarities between Hiro and Hubby. Well … see for yourself. Don’t you think Hubby could kinda pass for Hiro too?
Seriously though. Seeing Hiro’s character reminds me of some of the reasons I love Hubby. The Asian thing. The sense of responsibility to do what’s right. Even the whole comic book lover thing. (Yes, I’m serious!) But what gets me the most is the like Hiro, Hubby has this incredible loyalty to those he cares for the most. And that despite everything that we’ve been through together , he has managed to stand by me forever. And every day, he continues to take my breath away.
"525,600 minutes …"
(Update 03.19.2009: Now that the cat’s out of the bag, I can finally un-PWP this post!)
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… 525,600 journeys to plan
525,600 minutes
How can you measure
The life of a woman or man?”– “Seasons of Love”
Well, it’s official. I am back to apartment living … and rent. (Ah-hah! Now you get the reference to the song lyrics from the Broadway musical, “Rent.”)
Along with our trip to Cedar Rapids, IA this weekend, we made another trip to Chicago. Well, for the day anyway. Because we would have had to drive by it on our way back home on Sunday anwyay.
Prior to us leaving, I set up an appointment with a free apartment finder service in the city. And that was because the previous weekend, Hubby & I tried to look for apartments in areas we thought we might like. Well, between the fact that we didn’t have any set plans … nor did we have anything else other than a street maps of the city and me as the navigator … I guess you can say I freaked out on Hubby there for a bit.
Yes, I finally had my first major freak-out. Pretty darn good, considering it had been more than a month since realizing that I might actually moving out of state. Seriously. I think the whole reality of it finally sank in. So … one freak-out thus far ain’t so bad.
Anyway … I must say, Hubby & I were a little anxious to look at places. Didn’t know what to expect, but hoped for the best. We met our agent, M shortly after arriving in the city in time for our appointment. Right away, Hubby & I felt comfortable with her.
M looked up apartments in the areas we were interested in with all the anemities we were interested in having (newish or refurbished kitchen/bath, two bedrooms, at least one bath, takes cats and a dog, and close to the El) within the price range we were willing to pay monthly. Hubby & I knew it would be hard to find everything we wanted within that range, so we were cautiously optimistic.
After finding a handful of apartments that fit our search, we were off to look at the places. One was really nice, but small. Another was a nice size, but not in a location we liked. A third had a great layout and was situated above an Italian (!!) restaurant, but the bedrooms were too small. And a fourth also had a great layout and was a tad larger, but was too old for our liking.
By this time, Hubby and I were starting to feel like we were being way too picky. Realistically, we knew not to settle for just anything, but the pressure of wanting to find something so we could move in prior to me starting the new job had us worried. That, and we didn’t want to waste any more of M’s time, as by this time it was about 6 pm and we still had to drive back to Michigan that night. (Not all the way home, but to Lansing. So that hubby could just go into work the next day without having to make another 1.5 hr drive back west from our home the next morning. Lucky me was off that day …)
Amongst all the different areas we drove through, we were pleasantly suprised that we genuinely liked M. She was very professional. And knowledgeable about the various areas we were interested in. In addition, we found out we were similar in age and enjoyed much of the same types of music from back in the 80’s. And let’s not even get into the same types of cuisine we all liked as well!
At one time, I asked about the diversity of a certain neighborhood we really wanted to live in, strictly because one of Hubby’s (very conservative) co-workers asked about it. Not that it mattered to us, I told M. In fact, for us diversity (whether it be cultural or lifestyle) was important to us because of who WE were as people. And what we liked to be surrounded by on a daily basis. And how moving here was going to be the beginning of embracing the open attitude we’ve always had in our lives. Which, given where we currently live and the environment we’re surrounded by, has been readily shoved aside. (More on this later.)
As we were heading to the next apartment on the list, M slowed her car down and said that she was going to go against all the rules for her job and not to say anything to her employer about what she was going to do.
It was at that moment that M told us about another apartment, currently not listed with their agency, that she thought we would like. And the reason she knew about this place was because she used to live in this apartment, but because of financial issues had to move to a smaller place. She said the landlord was awesome and would be willing to negotiate with us as far as rent. She also added that she would honestly be losing out on a commission if we decided to rent this place, but she truly liked us and thought that the two of us would fit in nicely with the rest of the tenants and landlord as well as the rest of the neighborhood. And, oh by the way … would we be interested in seeing it?
Well, h*ll … after that buildup, how could we say no?!
So off to the apartment we went. And all I can say is Oh. My. G*d. The place was just about perfect for what we were looking for. Yeah, there were a couple of odd things, but after what he had seen earlier … we couldn’t have asked for anything better! And the landlord? Incredibly nice and clearly down-to-earth. He and his wife (and 3 kids) live directly across the street and, I’ve got to say … Hubby and I both felt just good vibes surrounding him.
Seeing that Hubby & I haven’t rented in, oh … let’s just say more than a decade … we were both trying not to show too much excitement over the place. But after exchanging contact info, meeting another one of the neighbors in the next building, and finally climbing back into M’s car … neither of us could hold back our enthusiasm for the place. In fact, right away Hubby & I turned to M to ask her what our next steps should be. So … after some really sound advice (about deposit and lease length, etc), M encouraged us to call Mr. LL (aka “landlord”) and tell us that we were very interested in the place.
After finishing the phone call with Mr. LL, Hubby & I turned to M and told her that seeing that she wouldn’t get any comission for what she just did … she would be either our first guest in our new place or we’d be taking her on a night out. And … Oh. My. G*d. She was now officially our first “new” friend here in Chicago!
Afterwards as Hubby and I were driving back to Mr. LL’s place to drop of the security deposit … Hubby turned to me and asked if I had any inclination that M was gay. Because he was as sure as H*ll that she would have found the diversity question I asked earlier offensive … if I didn’t have any idea about her personal life. I had an inkling that she was, which is what I told Hubby. (Which we were later able to confirm by conversations with both Mr. LL and M, herself.)
But … WOW! What if I never asked that diversity question? What if I didn’t have any inkling about M’s lifestyle? What if we never got the opportunity to discuss how we consciously acknowledged that growing up Asian-American in a very sheltered white-collar/blue-collar environment affected how WE openly approach those who people may have grown up just as “different” as we did?
Well, I suppose that would mean that we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to see such an awesome apartment. Nor would we have been introduced to Mr. LL, who appears just as excited as we are to move in to this little community. And let me tell you, Hubby is just as excited that I’ll be surrounded by a good landlord … not to mention a couple downstairs with two gentle pitbulls and another male couple upstairs … who would look out after me during the first two months I’d be there without him.
Wow. I still can’t believe that yet another door has opened for me. I am so incredibly grateful for how things seem to be working in our favor with this change!
And as it appears I’ll be slowly be moving within the next two weeks … I suppose I should go. Because now I have, oh … about 525,600 things to do.
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Holy Crap. Wanna talk about MAJOR stars shining down on Hubby & me right now? I just found out that a good friend of mine from high school … one who we just recently started to reconnect with through Face.book … currently lives about a block and a half away from where we’ll be living!
Fleas On My Dog
No … there are no fleas on my puppy-girl, Kozzy. Actually, this is the way that my co-worker sings the Christmas carol, “Feliz Navidad.”
“Ah … now I get it,” I can hear y’all chuckling. But what does this Christmas carol have to do about Thanksgiving … other than the fact that today (or tomorrow, how ever you want to look at it) is the “official start” of the Holiday season?
Well, funny you should ask. Last year at this time Hubby & I, along with my parents, were on a Caribbean Cruise. One of the days was spent in Cozumel, Mexico where, as we stepped off the “boat” all I could hear throughout the plaza was that Christmas carol. And just the thought of hearing a Mexican Christmas Carol while in Mexico … it just had me in hysterics.
Anyway.
It’s about 8:00 am on Thanksgiving morning. Hubby’s getting some much needed sleep in the bedroom while I’m on the couch typing away on my lappie. I’m still getting these horrible coughing fits, but for the most part I’m feeling much better. Although, I have this feeling I’ll be losing my voice by the end of the day today. Damn sore throat.
Plans for today include lunch with my parents after the traditional Filipino Thanksgiving Mass. My parents asked us if we were going to attend; in which I promptly said that this morning was the only opportunity for us to unwind before another busy weekend. Which, in a sense, is the plain truth. But I also just honestly don’t feel like having to deal with the inevitable social conversations that involve Filipino acquaintances commenting on our child-less status. Seriously, there’s only so much of this an infertile can take … even if it’s been more than ten years! But seriously, it should be a nice sit-down lunch with my parents at the local Italian restaurant.
What?! Did you just say restaurant?!
Mmhmm. Yes. Emily, with or without the apron strings, is not exactly that great of a cook. And quite frankly, while I can do a turkey dinner, it just doesn’t seem to make much sense to do so when it’s only going to be the four of us. Oh, I suppose I could invite Hubby’s family and the other members of my side of the family … but then that would mean 20+ people in our home which, at most is only comfortable to fit five around the table. So yes … turkey lunch at a restaurant with my parents.
But don’t you worry, we’ll still have the traditional turkey fixin’s. At Hubby’s parents house. Later tonite. Where YAY! I get to see my nephew and niece. And BOO! Might not get to hold niece because of being a bad sicko.
So overall, busy day. But one that will be spent with family. After all … isn’t that what holidays are about?
Oh, and technically this is also supposed to be the day to express gratitude … so, without further ado …
Things to be extra-thankful of this year:
- An incredible husband who takes care of me when I’m sick (and we’re talking both physically and emotionally), and who has been my rock for the past 12 years.
- Loving and supportive parents who understand the reason for upcoming changes
- IRL friends and co-workers (not to mention bosses) that have also been supportive and excited for my upcoming change in employment
- Extra-wonderful pets … who have no idea what changes are store for all of us, but who are always willing to snuggle with me and give me some furbaby love
- An incredible online group of friends who have weathered with me during some of THE MOST difficult times in my life over the past year
And last but certainly not least,
- God for giving me back a little bit of faith in this world. That somehow when one door closes … another door opens. Even though it might not be the door that you were hoping would open.
Happy Thanksgiving, Blogland!!