The good thing about blogging is that often, after getting things off my chest my mood improves. Or it could simply be that watching goofy videos from times long past always brightens my day.
I don't know why this Marky Mark tune found its way into my brain during lunchtime, but once I started humming it, I knew I had to go watch the video.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Tuesday
to call for hands of above
to lean on
wouldn't be good enough
for me, no
The Knife, "Heartbeats"
(by way of Jose Gonzalez)
Sometimes I wish I had faith in a divinity. No, really. To be able to hold onto the idea that there is someone up there looking after me; that there is a plan and a method to the madness of this world and if only I would give myself to him my life would be full of meaning. It would certainly give me solace and I understand why people need religion.
But I can't do it. I just can't.
to lean on
wouldn't be good enough
for me, no
The Knife, "Heartbeats"
(by way of Jose Gonzalez)
Sometimes I wish I had faith in a divinity. No, really. To be able to hold onto the idea that there is someone up there looking after me; that there is a plan and a method to the madness of this world and if only I would give myself to him my life would be full of meaning. It would certainly give me solace and I understand why people need religion.
But I can't do it. I just can't.
Engulfed
I am off the peak. The last couple of days have not been particularly good. I have been consumed with anxiety and worry. I have started several posts and never finished them.
There are times when I wish my life was even simpler than it is right now. I don't live a highly complicated existence. I just need to focus on those things I can control and let go of worry. But I find myself unable to.
There are times when I wish my life was even simpler than it is right now. I don't live a highly complicated existence. I just need to focus on those things I can control and let go of worry. But I find myself unable to.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Three Word Wednesday - Not a poem
This week's 3WW words are:
Breath
Scattered
Tomorrow
Here we go:
Wednesday afternoon at the office, 4:30 PM
Out of breath
Scattered thoughts
Tomorrow is another day
Breath
Scattered
Tomorrow
Here we go:
Wednesday afternoon at the office, 4:30 PM
Out of breath
Scattered thoughts
Tomorrow is another day
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
The letter
I have seen this lately on a few of the blogs I frequent, most recently Maria. No doubt inspired by the song Letter to me, by Brad Paisley, the meme is to write a letter to your 17 year-old self.
I have seen very heartfelt versions of the letter, giving detailed advice on future events and sharing the wisdom that has come with the years. I took a different route. I put myself in the shoes of my 17 year-old self and decided to talk only about matters in her immediate future. I don't want my entire future revealed, my journey cut short by ill-timed revelations. I want to walk the path and have the freedom to make mistakes, because they made me who I am today. My only warning about the future concerns the loss of a family member, to give my 17 year-old self a chance to enjoy this person more before he is gone.
So here it is, my letter to myself at age 17.
Dear Ingrid:
When you start college, don't give up on that biology major just because pre-calculus is hard. Getting one bad grade on a quiz should not cause such a drastic decision.
Quit smoking, damnit! On your last day of school you will be off early and a bunch of you school kids will celebrate at someone's house. Do me a favor, don't mix drinks or it will be quite a sight to see you in your catholic school uniform, puking in the bushes at the building where your mom works.
Oh, and before I forget: being 17 and never having kissed does not make you a freak.
Your father will die by the time you are 21. Take some time to get to know him better before he's gone.
Love,
yourself at 39
I have seen very heartfelt versions of the letter, giving detailed advice on future events and sharing the wisdom that has come with the years. I took a different route. I put myself in the shoes of my 17 year-old self and decided to talk only about matters in her immediate future. I don't want my entire future revealed, my journey cut short by ill-timed revelations. I want to walk the path and have the freedom to make mistakes, because they made me who I am today. My only warning about the future concerns the loss of a family member, to give my 17 year-old self a chance to enjoy this person more before he is gone.
So here it is, my letter to myself at age 17.
Dear Ingrid:
When you start college, don't give up on that biology major just because pre-calculus is hard. Getting one bad grade on a quiz should not cause such a drastic decision.
Quit smoking, damnit! On your last day of school you will be off early and a bunch of you school kids will celebrate at someone's house. Do me a favor, don't mix drinks or it will be quite a sight to see you in your catholic school uniform, puking in the bushes at the building where your mom works.
Oh, and before I forget: being 17 and never having kissed does not make you a freak.
Your father will die by the time you are 21. Take some time to get to know him better before he's gone.
Love,
yourself at 39
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Ebb and flow
It's a slow time for blogging. When I look at my 1Q07 output, I notice that I was not posting much during that time. Since I have only been blogging a little over a year, it is too early in my blogging to detect trends, but I find myself not as involved as I have been in the preceding months.
It could be that I have a ton of stuff to do with the house still, like I mentioned before. It could be that I go through cycles. As I have also said before, I am fickle and can be heavily involved in something and then not so much. I have also been doing some thinking about how much of me I really want to put out there. I have shared some pretty instense stuff in this blog before, mostly stuff from times long gone. This was stuff I needed to get out of chest, but now that it is out there, I wonder if it was a wise choice. In any case, lately I am feeling the need to be more guarded about my personal life. This may be why I am not posting as much.
I will not abandon blogging completely because it provides me with an outlet for my writing, either from regular posts or the writing prompts I sometimes follow. But as with most things in my life, consistency is a bit of a struggle.
It could be that I have a ton of stuff to do with the house still, like I mentioned before. It could be that I go through cycles. As I have also said before, I am fickle and can be heavily involved in something and then not so much. I have also been doing some thinking about how much of me I really want to put out there. I have shared some pretty instense stuff in this blog before, mostly stuff from times long gone. This was stuff I needed to get out of chest, but now that it is out there, I wonder if it was a wise choice. In any case, lately I am feeling the need to be more guarded about my personal life. This may be why I am not posting as much.
I will not abandon blogging completely because it provides me with an outlet for my writing, either from regular posts or the writing prompts I sometimes follow. But as with most things in my life, consistency is a bit of a struggle.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Pinkeye and the Sty
That sounds like some weird character and his sidekick, the kind you watch in Cartoon Network. But in actuality it refers to my eyes. Specifically my left eye. Which has a big and very painful sty on the upper lid.
My eyes, both of them, itch and tear. I have a mild fever (99.2 F). The whole left side of my face throbs and hurts. I went to the doctor. He said I have conjunctivitis and cellulitis, and prescribed oral antibiotics and an eye cream. Great. I look horrible and feel so very tired. Why would an eye infection make me feel tired, mind you?
Thursday, January 10, 2008
The Band
I stole this meme from blogger Dawn, who stole it from Bud Weiser.
You are about to have your own band's CD cover. And NO THOUGHT is involved. We followed these instructions to the letter and below is the fruit of the effort. Aren't we proud...Try it yourself, here are the directions:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random: The first article title on the page is the name of your band.
2. http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3: The last four words of the very last quote is the title of your album.
3. http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days/: The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.
4. Use your graphics program of choice to throw them together, and post the result as a comment in this post. Also, pass it along in your own journal because it’s more amusing that way.
This is my band's album. I love it.
Photo taken by Killer Likes Candy
You are about to have your own band's CD cover. And NO THOUGHT is involved. We followed these instructions to the letter and below is the fruit of the effort. Aren't we proud...Try it yourself, here are the directions:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random: The first article title on the page is the name of your band.
2. http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3: The last four words of the very last quote is the title of your album.
3. http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days/: The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.
4. Use your graphics program of choice to throw them together, and post the result as a comment in this post. Also, pass it along in your own journal because it’s more amusing that way.
This is my band's album. I love it.
Photo taken by Killer Likes Candy
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
3WW- Jan 4, 2008
Three Word Wednesday has a new home.
This week's words are:
Gossip
Naive
Station
1- Reading the Gossip mags and blogs is one my guilty pleasures. I get tired, though. Like candy, gossip is something that will make you feel sick if you indulge too much. Take Perez Hilton, for instance. I have almost reached my saturation point with him. I can't read him every day. And I am so over TMZ and their 1,000 daily posts on Britney. I still enjoy reading The Superficial, though. It is so retarded that it never fails to make me laugh.
2- Often I wonder if it is better to be naive or have street smarts. What do you think?
3- Today I picked up Paula at the airport. I was a bit nervous because I had to wait a while in line at Continental to get my clearance, and then it was a long wait to go through the security checkpoint. The lady in front of me was going to terminal B, and she was asking me if I knew where the inter-terminal train station was. Then we both proceeded to roll our eyes and bitch about the passengers that were holding up the line with their idiocy. Ultimately, I made it to the gate in time. It was so awesome to see Paula again and give her a big hug! I am happy she's home.
This week's words are:
Gossip
Naive
Station
1- Reading the Gossip mags and blogs is one my guilty pleasures. I get tired, though. Like candy, gossip is something that will make you feel sick if you indulge too much. Take Perez Hilton, for instance. I have almost reached my saturation point with him. I can't read him every day. And I am so over TMZ and their 1,000 daily posts on Britney. I still enjoy reading The Superficial, though. It is so retarded that it never fails to make me laugh.
2- Often I wonder if it is better to be naive or have street smarts. What do you think?
3- Today I picked up Paula at the airport. I was a bit nervous because I had to wait a while in line at Continental to get my clearance, and then it was a long wait to go through the security checkpoint. The lady in front of me was going to terminal B, and she was asking me if I knew where the inter-terminal train station was. Then we both proceeded to roll our eyes and bitch about the passengers that were holding up the line with their idiocy. Ultimately, I made it to the gate in time. It was so awesome to see Paula again and give her a big hug! I am happy she's home.
Saturday, January 05, 2008
My Blog Facts
Number of posts published in 2007: 461
Busiest months:
July (73 posts)
September (65 posts)
Slowest months:
January (6 posts)
March (11 posts)
Average number of visits per day: 26
Average visit length: 2:05
Top keywords bringing visitors to the site:
boricua
boricua ass (sickos!)
Puerto Rico pet massacre
Ramona te quiero (the song)
My favorite posts of each month:
It was difficult to choose a post from each month of the first half of 2007. Most posts were brief journal entries, not the sort of writing you like to reread or quote.
January: Dreaming of Red Rocks
February: Writing samples
March: Frustrated aspiring piano player
April: Easter Sunday 2007
May: Lotto jackpot dreams
I think I started to hit my stride in June of 2007. It was hard to pick just one post per month for the second half of the year.
June: Love evolves; Tradiciones; Oh to be a work of art
July: The wounded; Meme en dos lenguas; Even in Texas I get "La Atalaya"
August: End of an era; The difference between Gabe and I; Celibacy
September: Fiction Friday - Gene; Three Word Wednesday; Melanophobia
October: Non-fiction Friday - Chequi Morena; Casting; Sunday Scribblings - Hospitals
November: A search led you here; My first boyfriend
December: Last Stretch
Busiest months:
July (73 posts)
September (65 posts)
Slowest months:
January (6 posts)
March (11 posts)
Average number of visits per day: 26
Average visit length: 2:05
Top keywords bringing visitors to the site:
boricua
boricua ass (sickos!)
Puerto Rico pet massacre
Ramona te quiero (the song)
My favorite posts of each month:
It was difficult to choose a post from each month of the first half of 2007. Most posts were brief journal entries, not the sort of writing you like to reread or quote.
January: Dreaming of Red Rocks
February: Writing samples
March: Frustrated aspiring piano player
April: Easter Sunday 2007
May: Lotto jackpot dreams
I think I started to hit my stride in June of 2007. It was hard to pick just one post per month for the second half of the year.
June: Love evolves; Tradiciones; Oh to be a work of art
July: The wounded; Meme en dos lenguas; Even in Texas I get "La Atalaya"
August: End of an era; The difference between Gabe and I; Celibacy
September: Fiction Friday - Gene; Three Word Wednesday; Melanophobia
October: Non-fiction Friday - Chequi Morena; Casting; Sunday Scribblings - Hospitals
November: A search led you here; My first boyfriend
December: Last Stretch
Friday, January 04, 2008
"Fiction" Friday
[Fiction] Friday Challenge for January 4, 2008:
What is the first New Year’s Resolution your character breaks? How soon? Why?
It has been a long time since she has made New Year's resolutions. Why bother? She never keeps them anyway. Something puts her off; something about the obligatory nature of it, maybe the fact that everybody is somehow expected to want to be a better, richer, thinner, more spiritual, creative and active person in the new year. What is wrong with who we are? Why embark on this artificial quest for a new and improved version of ourselves? No, she will not make any trumpeted resolutions this year either.
She starts the year in a reflective mood. This year she is focused on the house. Like everybody else, she has plans for the new year. Most of the plans center on her house; there are things yet to be done as a continuation of the home improvement project started the prior year. The new floors are down, the closet system is in place. The year-end bonus came and went, spent on new furniture that has yet to arrive. A lot of their things are still in storage, and the paint job is not finished. There are boxes of books everywhere, but she can't get to them because the boxes are taped shut. She misses her books. They are so close to her, and yet unavailable.
She needs to get the rooms painted, return the bookcases and books to her library/home office. These are her plans for the new year. No resolutions, just things that need to be done. And yet, she would be lying if she said that she did not briefly entertain the thought of joining the throngs of people that take the yearly pledge to exercise more and eat less. But as she swallows a spoonful of Nutella, she is all too aware that she does not want to treat the first days of the new year as a boot camp or religious retreat, full of rules and deprivation.
What is the first New Year’s Resolution your character breaks? How soon? Why?
It has been a long time since she has made New Year's resolutions. Why bother? She never keeps them anyway. Something puts her off; something about the obligatory nature of it, maybe the fact that everybody is somehow expected to want to be a better, richer, thinner, more spiritual, creative and active person in the new year. What is wrong with who we are? Why embark on this artificial quest for a new and improved version of ourselves? No, she will not make any trumpeted resolutions this year either.
She starts the year in a reflective mood. This year she is focused on the house. Like everybody else, she has plans for the new year. Most of the plans center on her house; there are things yet to be done as a continuation of the home improvement project started the prior year. The new floors are down, the closet system is in place. The year-end bonus came and went, spent on new furniture that has yet to arrive. A lot of their things are still in storage, and the paint job is not finished. There are boxes of books everywhere, but she can't get to them because the boxes are taped shut. She misses her books. They are so close to her, and yet unavailable.
She needs to get the rooms painted, return the bookcases and books to her library/home office. These are her plans for the new year. No resolutions, just things that need to be done. And yet, she would be lying if she said that she did not briefly entertain the thought of joining the throngs of people that take the yearly pledge to exercise more and eat less. But as she swallows a spoonful of Nutella, she is all too aware that she does not want to treat the first days of the new year as a boot camp or religious retreat, full of rules and deprivation.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Slow day in cubicleland
It's a quarter to noon. Someone is eating lunch at their desk. I can smell it. I am hungry, but I am too lazy to make up my mind what to eat.
I am running some automated reports right now. Things are slowly starting to pick up at the office. I am glad about that. I already had a conference call this morning, and stuff to do for a project from this task force I belong to.
Other than work, my focus is mainly on the house, and all the things we need to do to make it more convenient and enjoyable to live in it. We still need to finish painting. And we have stuff in the storage unit that we need to bring home. All in due time, I guess. I don't want to start the new year in a frenzy.
I am running some automated reports right now. Things are slowly starting to pick up at the office. I am glad about that. I already had a conference call this morning, and stuff to do for a project from this task force I belong to.
Other than work, my focus is mainly on the house, and all the things we need to do to make it more convenient and enjoyable to live in it. We still need to finish painting. And we have stuff in the storage unit that we need to bring home. All in due time, I guess. I don't want to start the new year in a frenzy.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Back to the grind
I return to work today after a nice two-weeks' vacation. Naturally, part of me wishes I could stay off longer, but there is work to do and a salary to be earned.
Sunday night I made lasagna, steamed green beans and garlic bread; we had dinner with my in-laws. On the 31st, we invited them over again, and grilled some Omaha Steaks that Gabe got for us. We ate that with mushrooms cooked in butter and wine, a baby spinach salad and herbed potatoes. My in-laws brought a very nice Asti and we toasted the new year early. I also talked to both my mom and Paula prior to going to bed, since in Puerto Rico they rang the new year two hours before Houston. By midnight we were all tucked in bed, Gabe fell asleep early, but Isabel and I stayed up until midnight, reading.
Yesterday was nice. I got up late, around 9:00 AM, had coffee and eased into the new year. We spent most of the day at the house, but we went out shopping in the afternoon so Gabe could use a gift card he got for a gift returned. We also put together a little desk I had bought on Monday from Crate & Barrel, which I am going to use as a vanity table in our bedroom. I will try to take a picture and post it later, as it is dark in the bedroom right now and I do not want to wake Gabe and Isa. Last night we hd dinner at my in-laws. They cooked black-eyed peas and cabbage, which are supposed to bring you luck and wealth. We ate that with a meatloaf and mashed potatoes.
And that is it. I have not been blogging much lately, and with the new year and getting back into the daily routine, I have some thinking to do about how much time I want to spend in front of the computer the next few weeks. So if you do not see me posting or commenting on blogs every single day like before, know that it is just normal, and I will not disappear.
Sunday night I made lasagna, steamed green beans and garlic bread; we had dinner with my in-laws. On the 31st, we invited them over again, and grilled some Omaha Steaks that Gabe got for us. We ate that with mushrooms cooked in butter and wine, a baby spinach salad and herbed potatoes. My in-laws brought a very nice Asti and we toasted the new year early. I also talked to both my mom and Paula prior to going to bed, since in Puerto Rico they rang the new year two hours before Houston. By midnight we were all tucked in bed, Gabe fell asleep early, but Isabel and I stayed up until midnight, reading.
Yesterday was nice. I got up late, around 9:00 AM, had coffee and eased into the new year. We spent most of the day at the house, but we went out shopping in the afternoon so Gabe could use a gift card he got for a gift returned. We also put together a little desk I had bought on Monday from Crate & Barrel, which I am going to use as a vanity table in our bedroom. I will try to take a picture and post it later, as it is dark in the bedroom right now and I do not want to wake Gabe and Isa. Last night we hd dinner at my in-laws. They cooked black-eyed peas and cabbage, which are supposed to bring you luck and wealth. We ate that with a meatloaf and mashed potatoes.
And that is it. I have not been blogging much lately, and with the new year and getting back into the daily routine, I have some thinking to do about how much time I want to spend in front of the computer the next few weeks. So if you do not see me posting or commenting on blogs every single day like before, know that it is just normal, and I will not disappear.
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