Happy Holidays???

Merry Christmas

Happy Hanukah

Kwanzaa

Eid Mubarak

 

Winter Solstice

Boxing Day

 

Santa Claus

Season’s Greetings

Happy Holidays

These are just a few greetings for this time of year.  I’d like to preface today’s blog with my apologies ahead of time.  My intention is NEVER to offend.  But I have the feeling that I may hurt a few feelings or just ruffle a few feathers.  But please hear me out before you judge.

I hate… I mean HATE… all the spams I get regarding any greeting other than Merry Christmas.  First reason… I hate redundancy.  Redundancy because I’d say about 70-80% of the people I know espouse that we should be stating Merry Christmas in honor of the birth of Christ.  Well… Christ wasn’t born on December 25, but I totally get the symbolism.  I grew up Roman Catholic.  WE get the symbolism.  That being said, how many people do I know that aren’t even practicing Christians and just shout out that sentiment?  I don’t mean those of you that truly do live within the boundaries of the 10 commandments and actually practice what they preach.  I respect you guys.  I’m referring to all my other acquaintances, friends and even… just maybe…. Family.  Sorry… 

I don’t know about you, but I was raised that my religion was the religion above all.  That there is only one person above me, my mom/dad and my grandparents.  That was God himself.  But… I don’t know about you guys, but I was also taught that God is all forgiving and loves all His creatures: regardless of the size, shape, creed, color, taste in music, style in clothes and sexual preferences.  Okay… so I may be adlibbing a bit, but you get the picture.

I was brought up by strong catholic women in my life who taught me to treat everybody as equals – until they do you wrong – and even then, still love and forgive them.  By my dad, I was taught to learn about other religions and be open to other ways of thinking.  This combination may have screwed me up a bit… but that’s another conversation for another day.  LOL…

So… If we should love and respect others, why can’t we celebrate all the different “holidays” in December equally?  I try to acknowledge all the holidays individually, but I’ve resorted to saying Happy Holidays and now am made to feel guilty about it.  I shouldn’t.  So stop pushing the spam down my throat.  I do have friends that are from all over the world and have varying religions or outlooks on life.  Please allow me to respect their celebrations, by respecting my greetings.  So regardless, wether you celebrate the birth of Christ, Old Saint Nick, Santa Claus, Hanakuh, Kwanzaa, Eid Mubarak, Winter Solstice or don’t even celebrate, when I say Happy Holidays, just smile and say your greeting back at me with love and sincerity behind the words, not as a venomous lesson.

This just in...

So, it has been some time since I’ve updated this.  Since my last update, I lost a job, was without for about 6 mos +/-, in depression and out, and now have an awesome job again.  I’m only making a fraction of what I made before, but I truly, truly, truly, love what I do.  I’m temp to perm right now, but hoping to go perm before the first of the year.  Since I heard it’s not that easy to get bonded and go permanent, I’m not holding my breath for the deadline, but I can still hardly wait to have job permanency.  I haven’t had that since before my employment with the government.  How is that you ask?  I mean I worked with them for over 10 years.  Yes… I did, but as contractor, which is the same thing as a temp.  I knew I could lose my job at any time – which I eventually did.  And they didn’t need a reason to let me go…. Although the reason was awesome – for wounded warrior – it did not make the sting hurt any less.  I mean really, I was with you guys for how long?  I helped develop some of the way the workflow that is still used currently and up until a couple of months ago I was still being contacted for assistance (notice that I was being contacted after I was let go).  But no worries…  I think being let go was probably the best thing in the world for me.  I really didn’t like the politics and I definitely didn’t like the nepotism – yeah you all know who I’m talking about.  I loved the pay and being able to assist people, but the stress really wasn’t worth it in the end.  I had already told my boss about 6 mos. before, I was ready to quit and he made me promise I wouldn’t because he needed me.  LOL… Well, now, I’m able to always assist people and the people that work with me are all trying to help each other as well.  No more, this is mine…. Okay “sometimes” there is, but not anywhere to the degree that it used to be on the base.  I’ve made some great friends over here, where I really only retained one friend from the base.  My BFF – Rosie – shout out!!!  

I know this last paragraph wasn’t structured correctly, but whatevs… I’m just glad to be coming back out of hiding and will try to be more in tune with my life, surroundings and updates to you guys.  Have some more ideas… weight loss, holidays and womenopause.  I know, I know I spelled it wrong, but why spell it the other way if men don’t have to go through with it.  

I’ll leave you with this.  I think I’m back!

Mosquito Smorgasbord

19 mosquito bites in one day.  That day was yesterday.

Ugh! The Kardashians

This is going to be a rant. I don't usually watch the Kardashians because I think they are such a waste of time and are famous for NOTHING!!!  That being said, I had read on both TMZ.com and Perez Hilton that the "fam bamb" was going to therapy and that there would be a family upset.

Without getting into the whole therapy session, Khloe had stated it best.  Kourtney and mom have a contentious relationship, as do Robert and Kim.  And lets not forget that three of the K family REALLY... RESENT... that Kim is mom's favorite child.  (BTW...earlier in the same episode, Kris out right says - as Kim enters the room - "Here's my favorite child.)

Anyways, during the therapy session, the dr. asked Rob how he felt at that very moment.  Rob broke down and started crying then walked out.  I assumed he walked out so that the obnoxious Ks would see his tears.  Khloe followed him.  Kourtney started crying for him.  And the doctor went to check on him.  Meanwhile Kim sat stonefaced on the coach as if she didn't care and mom just said "walking away isn't going to help."

http://www.eonline.com/news/341337/rob-kardashian-s-breakdown-during-family-therapy-on-keeping-up-with-the-kardashians

What the frick and frack?!?!?  Really.  Kris is the mom and acts indifferent to her own son.  That episode right there made me actually cry for Robert and let me say..., I'm not proud that I cried for a Kardashian, but unlike the Ks I believe I have more empathy for frail humanity.

It's not make-up you see there...

I know it's been a while since I've last updated everybody on my mundane life.  Since my last writings, I've lost my job.  I've been on the job search and it's like a full time job - every day stalking all the job sites.  But it's not easy.  My career path has been specialized and formatted for one type of job.  Aside from that, I'm over qualified for most of the jobs AND... the payscale, for the jobs I'm qualified for, are at the same pay rate they were about 15 years ago - major pay drop.  No worries.  I'll find a job when I'm supposed to and I have a very supportive family.

But... that wasn't what I was going to write about.  It is more of an FML that occurred today.  And I'm sure most women would sympathize with.       I had taken my shower and was talking to my mom (who I stay with when I visit my children).  She looks at me and states "you should get a little lotion and some tissue and clean the make-up under your eyes."  So, I walk to the rest room and squirt  a little of the Jergens onto the back of my hand.  I look into the bathroom mirror.  What do I see?  CIRCLES UNDER MY EYES!!!  Not the kind made up of make-up, but of poor sleep.  I had a migraine yesterday, managed to push it aside to hang out with my kids, and it came back with a vengeance during the night.  No amount of lotion and tissues will remove the circles.

Oh well.  I I guess it was a good thing I wasn't planning on seeing anybody worthy of my placing make-up on.

A Nun Grading Papers

A Nun Grading Papers

CAN YOU IMAGINE THE NUN SITTING AT HER DESK GRADING THESE PAPERS, ALL THE WHILE TRYING TO KEEP A STRAIGHT FACE AND MAINTAIN HER COMPOSURE!  PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE WORDING AND SPELLING. IF YOU KNOW THE BIBLE EVEN A LITTLE, YOU'LL FIND THIS HILARIOUS! IT COMES FROM A CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEST. 

KIDS WERE ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS.  THE FOLLOWING 25 STATEMENTS ABOUT THE BIBLE WERE WRITTEN BY CHILDREN.   THEY HAVE NOT BEEN RETOUCHED OR CORRECTED.INCORRECT SPELLING HAS BEEN LEFT IN. 

2. ADAM AND EVE WERE CREATED FROM AN APPLE TREE. NOAH'S WIFE WAS JOAN OF ARK. NOAH BUILT AND  ARK AND THE ANIMALS CAME ON IN PEARS. 

3. LOTS WIFE WAS A PILLAR OF SALT DURING THE DAY, BUT A BALL OF FIRE DURING THE NIGHT. 

4. THE JEWS WERE A PROUD PEOPLE AND THROUGHOUT HISTORY THEY HAD TROUBLE WITH UNSYMPATHETIC GENITALS.

5. SAMPSON WAS A STRONGMAN WHO LET HIMSELF BE LED ASTRAY BY A JEZEBEL LIKE DELILAH. 

6. SAMSON SLAYED THE PHILISTINES WITH THE AXE OF THE APOSTLES. 

7. MOSES LED THE JEWS TO THE  RED  SEA WHERE THEY MADE UNLEAVENED BREAD, WHICH IS BREAD WITHOUT ANY INGREDIENTS. 

8. THE EGYPTIANS WERE ALL DROWNED IN THE DESSERT. AFTERWARDS, MOSES WENT UP TO  MOUNT  CYANIDE TO GET THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

9. THE FIRST COMMANDMENTS WAS WHEN EVE TOLD ADAM TO EAT THE APPLE.

10. THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT IS THOU SHALT NOT ADMIT ADULTERY. 

11. MOSES DIED BEFORE HE EVER REACHED  CANADA THEN JOSHUA LED THE HEBREWS IN THE  BATTLE OF GERITOL. 

12. THE GREATEST MIRICLE IN THE BIBLE IS WHEN JOSHUA TOLD HIS SON TO STAND STILL AND HE OBEYED HIM.

13. DAVID WAS A HEBREW KING WHO WAS SKILLED AT PLAYING THE LIAR. HE FOUGHT THE FINKELSTEINS, A RACE OF PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN BIBLICAL TIMES.

14. SOLOMON, ONE OF DAVIDS SONS, HAD 300 WIVES AND 700 PORCUPINES. 

15. WHEN MARY HEARD SHE WAS THE MOTHER OF JESUS, SHE SANG THE MAGNA CARTA. 

16. WHEN THE THREE WISE GUYS FROM THE EAST SIDE ARRIVED THEY FOUND JESUS IN THE MANAGER. 

17. JESUS WAS BORN BECAUSE MARY HAD AN IMMACULATE CONTRAPTION. 

18.  ST. JOHN THE BLACKSMITH DUMPED WATER ON HIS HEAD. 

19. JESUS ENUNCIATED THE GOLDEN RULE, WHICH SAYS TO DO UNTO OTHERS BEFORE THEY DO ONE TO YOU. HE ALSO EXPLAINED A MAN DOTH NOT LIVE BY SWEAT ALONE.

20. IT WAS A MIRICLE WHEN JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD AND MANAGED TO GET THE TOMBSTONE OFF THE ENTRANCE. 

21. THE PEOPLE WHO FOLLOWED THE LORD WERE CALLED THE 12 DECIBELS.
22. THE EPISTELS WERE THE WIVES OF THE APOSTLES.

23. ONE OF THE OPPOSSUMS WAS ST. MATTHEW WHO WAS ALSO A TAXIMAN.
24.  ST. PAUL CAVORTED TO CHRISTIANITY, HE PREACHED HOLY ACRIMONY, WHICH IS ANOTHER NAME FOR MARRAIGE. 
25. CHRISTIANS HAVE ONLY ONE SPOUSE. THIS IS CALLED MONOTONY.

It Can Always Grow Back

My motto about hair – It can always grow back.  I’ve used this motto everytime I’ve done anything adventurous with my hair.  I’ve had my hair permed straight twice.  Color weaved in – only to turn my hair orange, mangled bangs, home-done haircuts.  You name it, I’ve probably had it.

The first time, the stylist over processed it and my hair was soooooo messed up.  First it was like rubber where it would stretch.  Then it broke off at the scalp as I ran my hands through it.  This attempt at having my hair permanently straightened was because I had just had my first child and wanted no fuss hair.  Well I ended up getting much to fuss about hair.  I waited about one and a half months and then went to a very expensive stylist (who I trusted) and she cut my hair really short so that I’d have less damage to fuss about.

The second time I had my hair straightened it was done ala the Brazilian blow-out.  The guy that did this perm (which was about 10 years after the first attempt) was highly recommended.  My hair looked so beautiful, healthy and straight… for about a week.  Then after that as my hair grew out, it had a crimp in it near the scalp where the perm started.  I still had to put in a good amount of work in my hair to make it look decent and it felt like straw.  To say I wasn’t pleased is an understatement.  Did I blame the stylist?  No.  Because I was lucky enough to have a head that just rather be wild then tamed.

Needless to say, I also had my hair chopped off the first chance I could.  The shortest I went during this adventure was about an inch short all around.  But I made that pixie work. 

My hair also doesn’t like color in it.  Every time I’ve tried to do something trendy to my hair – you know highlights, lowlights, peek-a-boo, full head color (but lighter) - my hair just turns orange: like a bad peroxide job.  I’m Hispanic and orange is not a good color for me.  I mean really… it is neither a winter nor a summer color.

But again, it will grow out.  I think my ability to just adjust is the fact that my dad used to cut my hair when I was in high school.  He used to be a barber in the Navy and believed that cutting civilian hair would/should be easy.  One benefit of him cutting my hair was that I could tell him the crazy cuts I’d want and he’d attempt to cut it.  If it didn’t come out well, “it would just grow back.”   The downfall was that he never cut my hair right and it always took about 2-3 hours to cut my hair. 

Well, now I’ve done it again.  I had a special request to grow my hair out.  In my attempt to do this, I’ve been taking 5,000 mg of biotin everyday.  My hair has grown wonderfully too!  But now I come to my disappointment.  It has nothing to do with my hair growth.  See, I started to develop welts on my scalp.  They were scab like at first and then became open sores.  At first I thought it was my wonderful WEN.  I cried out to WEN to ask if they had hyper allergenic conditioning creams.  Sadly they don’t.  So, I stopped using my WEN for a few days, but noticed that my welts weren’t going away.  I shouted from the roof tops because it wasn’t my beloved conditioning cream.  But then what could it be?  It couldn’t be the biotin could it?  Well I did some research and found out that the highest dosage a person should even take is 2,500 mg.  What?!?  Then why do they sell the stuff in the higher dosage??? 

I did some research and discovered that some people get acne.  Nope I don’t have acne, but I am prone to rashes all the time.  And… let’s not forget that my hair is very sensitive.  So, by simple deduction I realized that the Biotin is wreaking havoc to my head.  I’ve since stopped taking it.  I’ve also been applying a topical cream on all the battle wounds and Neosporin every chance I get.  They are subsiding and drying out.  That is a good sign. 

I’m resigned to the fact that I can only color my hair black, and never try to style my hair in any style other than curly.  I’m okay with that.  And if I change my mind in the future, it can always grow back.

Guilty Pleasures

Today I found a recipe for a pancake that I used to make a long time ago.  It’s not your run of the mill pancake, but a giant whopping pancake that takes over an entire cast iron skillet and kinda looks like an overgrown crepe.  Oh… it was so divine and I always felt like was a little elite being able to make my New Orleans French toast with a cream cheese butter and raspberry jam and my skillet pancake.  How decadent they both were.  (Currently, my mouth is salivating in anticipation, but my eyes are crying because I’m not making either in the near future.)

Well it got me to think about my most favorite guilty pleasure.  And for the family members that are reading this no… it’s not Kraft mac-n-cheese, nor is it fried tortillas with sour cream and salt.  It’s the Romano Bread Puffs.  They were sold at Numero Uno.  They were like a sweet bread dipped in garlic butter and then rolled in romano cheese (powder).  They were what I looked forward to on those rare occasions that the parental unit could afford to take us out to eat.  Yeah, I didn’t need steak and lobster to be impressed.  Just some Romano Bread Puffs.  Good times…  I’ve been trying to find the recipe, but am still at a loss.  If any of my stalkers have the awesome formula to recreate these pieces of heaven, please pass it on.  Please, please, please…

Any of you have a guilty pleasure from your childhood that you wish you could still enjoy – or heck – still enjoy?