On Long Distance Relationships and Naked Lady Parties

Yesterday I went to a BBQ hosted by one of my book club friends. The first half of the get-together was a Naked Lady party wherein you take clothes, shoes, purses, jewelry and the like that you no longer want and offer them up for exchange. Whatever is left goes to the Goodwill, a womens shelter or some sort of charity. It was pretty cool. I only took a few things but I think next time I will really dig in my closet and drawers and take more things. If you ever get invited to one, go and take lots of things. You'd be surprised the little treasures you can find. Many of my friends wear really cute clothes and when I ask where they got them, they almost always answer Goodwill or at a Naked Lady party. Fun!


As those of you that read my blog know, the Italian and I have been at this long distance relationship for 4 years. We were hoping for him to be here by last year but what with the global economical meltdown, we had to put that on hold. We are hoping he can be here by the summer or at least the end of the summer. To be completely honest, I've sort of put a dead line on it. This type of relationship never gets easier. I'm sure the odds of a relationship like ours actually standing the test of time aren't very good. Our relationship, thus far, has survived the time and distance but it has not been easy. People tell me all the time that they don't know how we do it. I'm not one to give advice. I can only speak from my own experience but this sort of relationship is not for the faint of heart or weak-minded people. You have to really want it to work and you have to really trust the other person. If you are the jealous type, forget about it. You will not be able to sleep at night. Speaking on the phone can be a challenge due to the time difference, schedules, work and even just the tone of voice you hear on the other end.


If the other person has had a bad day but doesn't want to spend their limited time on the phone with you talking about it, it can create a misunderstanding. You can hear it in their voice and naturally, you ask if all is well. They say no, but you know there is etc, etc. These, are some of the challenges the Italian and I have come up against but nothing serious enough to create a rift because we are both very dedicated to each other and to making this work.

Ultimately though, we are both humans with feelings and it is hard, extremely hard to be away from one another. In social situations, my friends always ask, when is the Italian coming back? Those that haven't met him, ask when he is coming and are anxious to meet him, as am I for him to meet them. Last night was one of those nights. My friends were at the BBQ with their husbands and kids and they all asked when he is coming and that they look forward to meeting him. It should be easy right? I mean, he should just be able to hop on a plane and make his way here or vice versa for me. But really, it's not. There are legal fees to be paid for immigrating, one would have to financially support the other until such time as a work permit can be obtained, etc etc. I'm way more spontaneous than he is. I can be a "fly by the seat of my pants" kind of person, but the Italian is so not like that. He is way more conservative in that respect. He believes these sorts of things take careful planning and a lot of consideration, he's definitely old school. I mean, I just met his family after 3 years because he wouldn't take anyone home unless he was sure to marry them. This is another difficulty of LDR's. Cultural or religious differences can break relationships. Our cultures are not so different that this would be the case for us, but it can happen. Ultimately, our cultures, fundamentally speaking, are quite similar. Mine has just been Americanized a bit but essentially we have the same morals and values. We are both Catholic so this hasn't been a problem for us either. He has expressed to me though that he wouldn't marry someone who was not Catholic.



What it boils down to is that we are best friends. We trust and respect each other and that's why this has worked for us. Again, I will say that it has not been without effort. When we are physically together, we are a team. We work so well together and are so supportive of each other. We like to joke with each other, cook together, read together, watch movies, go for passegiate, concerts, etc etc. Politically, we tend to disagree but it makes for interesting conversation.

He helps me clean and do laundry. I love that he is always ready and willing to help me. Not all men are that way, unfortunately. I've known from the beginning that he is the man I will spend the rest of my life with and I can no longer imagine life without him. The attraction was instant. This fall our LDR will culminate in marriage and these last 4 years of phone calls, flights, emails, texts, tears and laughter will come to an end and our life together will finally begin.

Trust and tenacity are what it takes to survive the test of distance and time. Without these two, fuggetaboutit!

Le Tre Torri

Once we arrived at the hotel I was so exhausted, I laid in the bed and didn't want to move. The Italian asked if I wanted to go have dinner with his family and I felt so bad because I was too tired. I needed to bathe and I knew once I did that it would be a matter of minutes before I knocked out cold, but I was hungry. I told him that I really wanted to but I was just too tired to muster up the energy. He understood and offered to go out and get me some pizza. I agreed as this would give me a chance to take a shower and freshen up.

I stumbled onto the website of Le Tre Torri somehow when searching for a place to stay. The price was right and it's right on the green line which goes to the neighborhood where the Italian lives with his family. I had him go and check it out and it seemed like a nice place and the owners were very nice. The room was a little spartan with Ikea furnishings but it was clean and suited my needs. It's not really a hotel but more like a self-service room rental type place. They also offered free Wi-Fi. The Italian was a little skeptical about the neighborhood called Lambrate because it has a bit of a past but they seem to have cleaned it up and it was very convenient when we wanted to go into the center of Milano as well as going to his families house which we would drive to rather than use the metro. I really recommend this place if you need an economical place to stay in Milano. The longer you stay the more discount they offer. There is a communal kitchen and dining room as well as a washing machine. If I had to, I would definitely stay there again.



The Italian promised to bring me back a really delicious pizza. I was starving so I was really looking forward to it. Well, he didn't disappoint! Wow, I don't know if it was because I was starving but this was among the best pizza I've ever had in my life. Trattoria Pizzera La Cappelletta was near the hotel and seems to have a little history. This is what is written on the box:

Narrano leggende che ai tempi dei Romani, nel luogo ove ora sorge la Cappelletta vi fosse un santuario cristiano. Forse era solo un sasso, ma con il passare del tempo e' diventato un simbolo, che ha acquistato una forza e una simbologia da caratterizzare un intero paese quale era Lambrate. Oggi purtroppo non la si nota quasi piu', sommersa dalle case e dalle auto, ma e' bello sapere che un luogo cosi' ricco di spiritualita' a cui generazioni di lambratesi hanno affidato le loro preghiere, sia sempre qui a portata di mano.

The pizza was like no other pizza I have ever had before. The crust had a bit of a sourdough taste to it and it was absolutely delicious. Unfortunately, because I was so hungry I didn't think to take a picture of it until after I finished it, so I took a picture of the box instead. He just bought enough for me as it was way too early for him to eat dinner. He stayed with me until I fell asleep, then he went home to eat with his family. I asked him to please give my apologies to his family but I was just way too tired. He kept telling me not to worry, that they would understand. When he came back from his dinner I woke up and he let me know that his family completely understood and that they looked forward to meeting me the next day which was Christmas Eve. I was so relieved and went right back to sleep.

Airport Meetings & Destination Milano

I went to bed around midnight on the 21st knowing I had to be up 3 hours later. There was just so much to do before I left. I had a 6:30am flight and what with all the snow storms going on all over the place, I figured I better get an early start just in case. My friend Darcy graciously offered to drive me to the airport at the ungodly hour of 3:30am. Thank goodness for good friends! She also took care of my car for me while I was gone which saved me close to $200 had I parked at the airport.

The best part about having to be at the airport so early was the coffee! I love Coffee People! They used to have shops all over Portland but now they only have 2 locations at the airport, so this was truly a treat!



I was about the 3rd person in line to check in and the guy behind me commented on my stack of suitcases. "You don't travel light, do you?" I laughed and said, "No, I've never been one to backpack anywhere. Plus it's Christmas so I'm smuggling gifts!" Turns out he's from New York and a graduate of the Maritime Academy in the Bronx which is located in the neighborhood I lived in for 4 years. Nice guy. He came into Portland on a ship and said that he really loves the city :-) He mentioned that he liked it a lot better than Seattle. We got to talking about what Portland is known for and he specifically said he loved the variety of beer here and that the East Coast just doesn't have the quality beer that Portland does. I loved hearing that, I just wish I were a beer lover! I'm more a wine person. I do enjoy the Ruby from McMenamins but that's about the size of it. He wasn't on my flight though, so once I checked in we wished each other Happy Holidays and off I went to the gate. While waiting for my flight a woman sat next to me and we started talking. It turns out she is my neighbor, literally lives across the street in the townhomes and she is married to a man from Italy. Quite the coincidence! She was going to NY to visit her daughter who is in college. She was a vicitm of the snow storm that hit the East Coast and was actually supposed to fly out 2 days prior. This trip started so well having met these two nice people. This is what I love about traveling. Meeting diverse people from everywhere. These two I happened to have a bit in common with :-)





















When I arrived in NY I walked over to Terminal 1 and went up to the departures area to check in for the next portion of my flight. I should mention that the first portion was on Delta and the second portion was on Alitalia, which is a Skyteam partner of Delta. I arrived to the news that my flight was to be delayed 9 hours due to snow at Malpensa. I was really disappointed because every moment I have with the Italian is precious, so every moment spent in Terminal 1 was a moment lost with him. Alas, I had no choice.



Initally I called my friend Rachel who lives on Long Island and she was happy to come and pick me up but I told her I needed to check with the airline to see what they wanted the passengers to do. They asked that we check in and wait at the gate in the event that the snow stopped and Malpensa was back up and running. So I called Rachel back and told her I'd have to stay there. I really wanted to see her and her son who I haven't had the pleasure of meeting since the last time we saw each other was when she came to visit 2 1/2 years ago. The airline gave us a $10 voucher (which buys you all of a bottle of water and some pretzel's in NY), so I settled in and started watching movies on iTunes. One by one I watched several planes take off, Paris, Mexico City, Taipei, another flight to Paris, Munich, etc. I started to feel like I was on the movie Terminal! No communication from the airline whatsoever. I felt particularly bad for the families with small children. They were all restless and crying. The parents exhausted. This sort of put it into perspective for me and I stopped feeling sorry for myself asap!



When they finally announced boarding, in true Italian fashion, everyone bum rushed the gate. Forget boarding group 1, 2, 3 and 4 in that order, it was every man, woman and child for themselves!



It was a long uncomfortable flight and I got absolutely no sleep. I felt like a zombie when I finally arrived around 4pm Milano time which is 7am Portland time (the next day!). It took about an hour to get my luggage, then when I finally walked out the door, I looked through the crowd of faces and didn't see the one I was looking for. Then out of nowhere I got the biggest hug and kiss. I was so happy! Exhausted but happy. It was as though not a moment in time had passed since we were last together. I'll admit that I was a bit worried about this as distance and time sometimes puts a damper on relationships but I was immediately put at ease with his warm reception. We took the pullman (which is what the locals call the bus, which is not a city bus but more like a Greyhound bus) to the Stazione Centrale, then took the underground to my hotel.

Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Bread and Book Club

I haven't been blogging much lately. Shame on me but things have been pretty busy around these parts. This Saturday was my monthly book club meeting and it was lots of fun. The Italian says we should rename it to drink club with a side of book because we always end up talking about the book for all of 5 minutes and spend the rest of the night eating and drinking wine and/or beer. Well, wine for me anyhow. It's always so much fun! So this last months book was "The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World" by Eric Weiner. I really enjoyed this book. I won't write a review here but I will recommend it. It's a light read and full of humor. It's very enlightening and great for lovers of travel as well as for those that haven't ventured very far but would like a perspective on the world as someone else sees it. You can read about it here.



I baked a Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip bread and it was a huge success! My friend Claire's husband did a dance for me just after his first bite :-)




















Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip bread recipe:

Ingredients:

3 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup apple sauce
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 can solid pack pumpkin
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup of water
3 tablespoons Canadian maple syrup
1/2 bag of semisweet chocolate chips

Optional: substitute chocolate chips for walnuts or use both!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl combine sugar, oil, applesauce and eggs. Add pumpkin and mix well.



Combine dry ingredients; add to the pumpkin mixture alternately with water.



















Pour into two greased loaf pans, or one loaf pan and one cupcake pan, or one bundt cake pan...etc, many possibilities!









Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until the bread tests done. Drizzle maple syrup over the top when just out of the oven. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Personally, I like to slice into it while it's still warm and add a dallup of Cool Whip!



Sorry there's no pic of the bread sliced. I didn't take my camera with me to book club but I am sure I will make it again really soon, so perhaps I'll post some pics then. Plus my photographer is in Milano so with only two hands it was hard to stop and take a pic so I just used the point & shoot.

Let me know if you try it and how it comes out!

Blast From the Past

This Facebook thing is quite the phenomenon. It has it's good points and it's bad points. Sometimes I get friend requests from people who went to the same high school but never uttered a word to me. I don't approve those because it's obvious that they are just after the status quo. The more friends you have, the cooler you are...meh! I can honestly say that all the friends I have on Facebook are people that I have either broken bread with, relatives or have had some sort of exchange with, even blogger friends. But I don't need to have 500 friends to feel validated. Anyhow, I am amazed at some of the people that have found me and vice versa. Case in point, my ex-boyfriend from high school's sister and mother. Wow, I hadn't heard from these people in like at least a decade, so I was happy to accept their friendship. One day I had a message in my inbox from the ex's Mom on her birthday because I had sent her some b-day wishes earlier that day, so I read it only to find out it wasn't from her.

As I am reading the message, I realize OMG, it's C, the ex himself! He doesn't have a Facebook and when he went to visit his mom on her b-day, she showed him my Facebook and apparently he felt compelled to contact me. You see, ours is story that didn't end on a good note. No, in fact it ended quite badly. C was my first serious boyfriend, my first love. We met our junior year of high school when I moved out to the burbs from the inner city of L.A. We were together for 2 years. I'm going to try to condence this story as much as possible because it's quite lengthy.

After our high school graduation we decided to take a road trip to Vegas to celebrate. C invited some of our mutual friends and I invited one of my friends "S" from the old neighborhood who had just broken up with her boyfriend and was feeling kind of down. Anyhow, long story short, we got incredibly drunk one night and I passed out on the bed and while I was passed out my boyfriend and my "friend" S started making out with each other. Of course I had no idea what had happened. When we got back to my house, I was feeling horrible and I went to my room and my sister came to my room and told me that something wasn't right. She said she thought there was something between them because they were acting strange. I thought there was no way this was possible so I just ignored her. Later we took S home and C went home. My sister kept insisting so I called S and asked her what happened. She came clean and told me everything. Needless to say, I was shocked. She apologized but it didn't seem sincere. I called C and confronted him about it and he came over and told me that he was confused and he didn't know what he wanted. I told him that if he was so confused than he obviously didn't want to be with me anymore and I sent him on his merry way. This was really hard for me. I was betrayed by two people that I trusted so much. I was devasted. I couldn't eat or sleep for weeks. I never heard from either of them again. Our mutual friends filled me in on what happened. A few months later S got pregnant and they ended up getting married. I remember I saw his brother-in-law about a year later at the mall and he said that they missed me because S has no personality. I'll admit it was nice to hear that :-) So, a few years later I was told they got divorced. And that was the last I had heard about that.

His message was very apologetic. He said he was young and did a lot of stupid things at that point in his life. He said that karma had come back around to get him because S did the same thing to him that he did to me. He said that he almost didn't recognize me from my pics, that I look great and that his Mom always liked me. Wow, I wasn't expecting any of this at all. It was so long ago. For a split second I felt like justice had been done but then I caught myself and said, no, there is a child involved and that changes everything. So I wrote him back and thanked him for his apology but that it wasn't necessary since so much time has passed. I told him that while it did hurt me quite a bit, I got over it and come out of it a much stronger person because the human spirit is not easily broken. I also told him that I was sorry about his karma as that is something I would not wish on anyone. His response to mine was a bit disturbing. He said that he couldn't believe how nice I was being to him because every other woman he's had in his life has said that he ruined their lives. He said he had been getting therapy for the disaster that was his life. I couldnt' help but feel bad for him, but I suffered a lot back then and I just had to let it all go. And that is the extent of our communication. Wow, amazing this Facebook thing I tell you. Anybody else have a blast from the past connection story?

I wanted to post this song which is about letting go and addictions. I think people mistake this song as just being about relationships but it is so much more than that. If you pay close attention to the lyrics, it's most certainly about addictions. Addictions are not just limited to food, drugs, alcohol, etc. We can also get addicted to people. While I wasn't addicted to C, I certainly was attached and it was very difficult for me to let go. I'm sure some of you out there can relate in someway. So here it is. It's called Gravity by Sara Bareilles. Lyrics are listed on the video. Enjoy!

Yes or No?

I've been contemplating buying one of these however, it's a pretty major purchase and with my impending trip to Milano and a subsequent sidetrip that we are planning, I am wondering if I should spend the money. One could argue that this is a good reason to make such a purchase. I will come home with beautiful pictures of our travels. When I think of all the beautiful pictures I could have had from all my previous travels, I say to myself, you have to buy it! My little point-and-shoot Sony digital camera did an OK job, but nothing spectacular. Nothing like what I could have with this baby:



Oh the joy this little beauty would bring me! Of course then the frugal and very logical person in me (who the hell is that??!!) thinks of how much smaller my bank account will be when I slap the money down for this and I think, I really shouldn't.....sigh... I'm like a paranoid schizophrenic arguing with myself about this. Best Buy has this package deal but being that I don't know a whole lot about digital SLR's, I'm not sure if I should go for it. Then of course I will need memory cards, an extra battery and such. The price is really going up! And do I really need to buy the Geek Squad Black Tie 4 year protection plan for $249.99??!! Of course, we have no sales tax here in Oregon, so that's an instant savings on that alone! But still....

I live in one of the most beautiful states in the union and there is so much opportunity for beautiful pictures here. I don't travel as often as I used to, or as I would like, but I still travel at least once a year, more or less. (I'm trying to justify this major purchase here, in case it isn't obvious) The Italian says there is always new technology coming out for these things and that as soon as I buy one, there will be a better one to follow it. Of course there will be. That's true with just about anything these days, but I am sure that this toy will last me many years to come and will bring me lots of joy and treasured memories. I can blow-up and frame my own artwork. I would have to take a class or read a book though because until now, I haven't even mastered my point-and-shoot, but to be honest, I never really cared because I knew that it could never do what an SLR can. I'd like to make my blog more interesting with pictures of Portland and her surroundings. Of the beautiful Oregon coast, and all the other places we will be traveling in the near and distant future. Of life and our future together. I'd also be doing my part to stimulate the economy, no?

Do those of you out there with an SLR think it was a good investment and have no regrets?

I've made my case. What do you think? Yes or No?

A Change of Plans

I've really been neglecting my blog. It's not on purpose, really. I've been working a lot of overtime and by the time I get home, the last thing I want to do is stare at a computer screen. Usually afterwork I play tennis or go to the gym, so by the time I make dinner and sit down, I'm pretty much spent. I don't even have kids yet! That's going to be interesting! I don't know how you Mamma's do it. Kudos to you!

The Italian and I have been talking about his coming to Portland and his plans were to come here with plenty of money since it will be 4 or 5 months before he can even apply for work. Unfortunately, he is the latest victim of this global economic crisis and has not been paid by the University since September of last year. I don't understand how they expect people to survive! He won't leave until they pay him otherwise he'll never see that money. He even took a second job just to keep himself afloat but even that has been hard because it is a commission based job. I'm pretty bummed out because usually around this time of year I am preparing for his arrival. Not this year. Long distance relationships really aren't for the faint of heart. I like to see the glass as half-full so I am just seeing this as another bump in the road. Fortunately, I have some job security so we decided that I would go there for Christmas and New Year. This way I could meet his family. The last time I was there we had just met and he is pretty traditional in that he doesn't bring anyone home unless he intends to marry them. So, I will be the first woman he takes to meet his family. I have to admit that this is a little strange for me, having been raised in the states. It used to be that way in Mexico, but those are things of the past. I'm excited and nervous at the same time. According to the Italian, southern Italian mothers really scrutinize their sons choice for a wife. Maybe the fact that there is a language barrier will work in my favor!! I would like to learn some of her recipes and I am sure she wants me to keep her son well fed, so I think this may be a way to bond if we can understand each other. I'm thinking I might take some Mexican ingredients and show her a few of my dishes. I doubt there are any good Mexican restaurants in Milano.

If any of you out there have some tips for me, please, I need all the advice I can get!! I think I am more worried about saying the wrong thing and offending someone. I am going to be there from December 23 thru January 8th so I hope to learn as much cooking as I can while I am there. I am soooo looking forward to all the wonderful dishes the Italian's mom makes for Christmas. He has described them to me over the phone and I am left salivating everytime. She makes capitoni but he doesn't like it. I like fish, so I think I might like it. I hope these next 5 months fly by because I am so anxious to see him. At that point it will be a year and a half that we haven't seen each other. Too long! I am hoping that once I come back he will follow me here shortly thereafter. My first Christmas in Italy!! I am soooo excited!! I better lose a few extra pounds in preparation because if it's anything like the culinary extravaganza that goes on in Mexico for the holiday season, I'm bound to pack a few pounds on!

I have more to write about the situation at work, but I'll save that for another day. I hope everyone is well and enjoying the summer.

New Beginnings, Fender Benders, and Racism

How's that for a title? Well, I'd all but abandoned my blog and I thought it was about time I revived it.

I'll start with the new beginnings. I finally found the Italian and I a new place to live. My previous place was the size of a shoe box and not a whole lot going for it but when I moved to Portland, it's all that was left in the neighborhood I wanted to be in so I took it. Now, there's a surplus of apartments in this area and as a result, I found us a great deal! This place is so much bigger!! It also has a balcony and a beautiful view of Mt. St. Helens and downtown Portland AND it's two blocks away from work! I love not having to drive and saving on gas as well as saving the environment. I come home for lunch, it's great! I had some friends over this weekend and they could not believe the deal I got. I can't wait for the Italian to see it!



I had a fender bender a few weeks ago but no one was hurt except for my poor car. I accidentally backed into my friends car. His car had not even a scratch, thank goodness. I was on a really steep hill trying to parallel park. There goes my good driver discount....Boo! I had never had to deal with a body shop and insurance before. What a pain! My insurance was actually really nice, it was the body shop that made it difficult. They kept my car for 3 weeks. Who knew one could have separation anxiety from a car!




My job is going great! I am doing really well. I have only been there two months and I already got a promotion, however, it was not without drama. This is where the racism comes in. I was hired as an assistant although the person I was assisting had no background or education in that position. She has worked in the medical field but as a medical assistant. Medical assistants really don't make much so she took a job as the clinic receptionist and was actually making more money. When the position became available she volunteered for it and the office manager decided to take a chance and train her. This isn't really a job where one can just be trained. There is so much more to it. It takes some education. Eventually I was hired as an assistant because she (we'll call her "A") was really struggling. "A" knew that I had the educational background and ever since I started working there she has been really snippy and condescending. I can hold my own, but being that I was new and her assistant, I didn't want to be insubordinate. So, I let a few things slide. Everyday I would catch mistakes she was making and when I presented her with them the look on her face was clueless. The sarcasm on her part got worse. Now I see that perhaps she was threatened by me. One day we were discussing Spain and she said that she was treated badly there because of the way she dressed (she's very hippy/bohemian, not that it matters to me but just to give you an idea) and then she said that Spaniards are the "lowest" of the European community and my response was that I had never heard that and that I disagreed with her. She continued to say, "You know, just like how Mexicans are the lowest of the Latin American countries". She said this to my face knowing full well that I am Mexican. I could feel the blood rushing to my face and my fists clenching but I wasn't going to indulge her in a reaction like that. I knew she was trying to push my buttons. I just told her that that is absolutely not true and I had never heard such an ignorant thing. Her response was, "Oh, I don't feel that way, but other people do". I decided to let her ignorant commment go. She obviously doesn't know any better and has no class or tact whatsoever. I later found out that she insulted Spaniards because she thought the Italian was Spaniard. Can you believe that?? I mean if she doesn't like me fine. But to generalize a whole culture and to put someone down that she has never met and knows nothing about??!! I feel sorry for her.

Shortly thereafter, my boss came to me extremely frustrated and asked me if I wanted "A"'s postion because she was making way too many mistakes and costing the clinic money. I can't tell you the feeling I had inside. I was so happy and the term poetic justice rang like a melody in my ears! Of course I accepted and she said she would put "A" back into her original receptionist position, which would now make me her boss. I knew "A" would not be happy. She started with her sarcasm again, but this time I gave it right back to her. Now she is acting really nice and is acting like she is relieved not to be in that position anymore. I know this is just a defense mechanism of hers. It is a very challenging position and there is a lot of attention to detail. I'm sure she is humiliated but she needs to learn to be humble. She goes around the clinic acting like she knows more than everybody else. As terrible as it sounds, I hope she leaves. Everyone else in the clinic is so cool, she's the only moody one. Can you believe now she is actually inviting me to see her boyfriends band play...Ha! We will never be friends. I don't surround myself with people like that.

On to a happier note, as a result of my promotion I get to do to Dallas for a conference on June 10th for 4 days!! Things are going great for me career wise and in my personal life. The only thing missing is my Italian and I am really hoping he makes it here by August so that we can start our life together!

Ch-Ch-Ch- Changes

So many things have happened in the last two weeks and I decided I wouldn't write until I had some sort of outcome. First of all, I quit the job that I had taken to pass the time while I searched in the medical field, without having gotten a job to replace it with. At first I thought it was a pretty cool place to work and I am actually a consumer of it's product and have been for years. After about a month or so, things changed, drastically. They brought in a new VP that wanted to run things the way he did at his former place of employment. In my opinion, if he liked the way the old job was working for him, then he should have stayed there. It was horrible, I went from being treated like an adult to being micromanaged. I wasn't eating or sleeping well. I found myself turning into a moody person and I am normally a very positive happy person (unless you piss me off, of course, haha!) but seriously, it was beginning to affect my health and well-being, so I had to make a decision. It was difficult on me because of the health benefits I would be losing and we all know that not having health insurance in this country is like walking a tightrope, and given my health history, I would be taking a big risk. Add to that the fact that me not having a job would prolong the Italian's arrival. I seriously cried on the phone to the Italian the morning I decided not to go to work anymore. That was exactly two weeks ago today.

Yesterday I went to lunch with some friends from school and out of the four of us, only one had found a job in the medical field, but she was offered a really low salary. I honestly don't know how she is going to survive on that. Admittedly, I panicked a bit, but as soon as a worried thought enters my mind, I try to follow it with a positive one. I decided I was going to do what I could to market myself well and not sell myself short at the same time.

This morning I woke up and decided I was going to call a woman I had interviewed with back in November and again about 3 weeks ago. We had been going back and forth about this job for 3 months. This was going to be the last phone call. If she didn't respond or gave me the run around, I figured today would be the end of it. When I called, the receptionist acted as though she was waiting for my call and put me through to the woman I interviewed with. She told me she was so glad I called because she had been thinking about me over the weekend. Long story short, she offered me the position. Finally, after 3 months of back and forth, I finally got the job with the pay that I was hoping for, and after 90 days, if all goes well, possibly a raise. Although one might be leery given the history of the pursuit of this position, I am going to be cautiously optimistic and hope for the best. I really feel a sense of relief and I am so happy.

Now the only thing that is missing is the Italian. I hope the 90 days go by fast so that we can expedite his arrival. I miss him so much! I am also thinking of getting a new place before he returns. The rents are decreasing and there is so much out there right now. I want to stay in the same neighborhood though. I just love my neighborhood and so does he. New job, new home....and next a new..... :-)

True Love Never Dies

I'm sure most of you have seen this poignant video, but I thought I would post it anyway in case you haven't. I could watch it a thousand times over and I would still cry everytime. Man or beast, we never forget when someone gives us love, affection, care and attention. Love knows no distance or time and I think those of us that have or are enduring a long distance relationship, can really relate to this. There was a time when the Italian and I had no communication because I was sick in the hospital and could not speak, but our love for each other never subsided. In fact, I would say it grew stronger and I truly have a greater appreciation for him for having been so patient with me through my recovery. I am truly lucky and very blessed. Happy weekend!

I Love Pandora!!

I am officially addicted to Pandora. Pandora Internet Radio is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Seriously, it's that good and it's free! For those of you that are not aware of this little gem, it's a website that creates radio stations for you based on your favorite artists. They created what is known as the Music Genome Project which analyzes up to 400 distinct musical characteristics by a trained music analyst. This is how it is described on their website:

These attributes capture not only the musical identity of a song, but also the many significant qualities that are relevant to understanding the musical preferences of listeners. The typical music analyst working on the Music Genome Project has a four-year degree in music theory, composition or performance, has passed through a selective screening process and has completed intensive training in the Music Genome's rigorous and precise methodology. To qualify for the work, analysts must have a firm grounding in music theory, including familiarity with a wide range of styles and sounds. All analysis is done on location.

The Music Genome Project's database is built using a methodology that includes the use of precisely defined terminology, a consistent frame of reference, redundant analysis, and ongoing quality control to ensure that data integrity remains reliably high. Pandora does not use machine-listening or other forms of automated data extraction.

The Music Genome Project is updated on a continual basis with the latest releases, emerging artists, and an ever-deepening collection of catalogue titles.

By utilizing the wealth of musicological information stored in the Music Genome Project, Pandora recognizes and responds to each individual's tastes. The result is a much more personalized radio experience - stations that play music you'll love - and nothing else.



This website is truly a music lover's dream and a great way to discover new artists based on your music preferences. They have artists from all over the world. It's truly amazing and for those of you with iPhones, there is even an iPhone app for Pandora. Unfortunately, for now, Pandora is limited to the United States. They have not yet acquired licenses to stream in other countries. It is something that they would like to do in the future. You can read their blog for any updates directly on the website.

I am desperately seeking a Blu-Ray player by Samsung (model BD-P2550) which has Pandora and Netflix Instant Watch programmed right into it. It was such a popular item during the holidays that it is sold out everywhere. Are we really in a recession?? People seem to be spending. Boh. I keep hearing that it is going to be in stores again soon. My current BR player just isn't cutting the mustard anymore and I'd like to sell it.

I hope you check it out, if you can and let me know what you think. You can even connect with friends and share music. Have fun!

I'm Back...It's Been So Long....

Well, what can I say? So much has happened. I have joined the ranks of the nations gainfully employed, albeit in a field that has nothing to do with medicine. But, with major employers announcing lay-offs daily, I am lucky to have anything at all. The hospital that I was hoping to get a job with, just announced 500 lay-offs, so that went out the door. I did have an interview there, but the position was given to an internal candidate..surprise, surprise. I was told there may be another position opening soon, however, that was before they announced the layoffs.

Now that I have some extra income, I have been playing tennis and taking Krav Maga lessons. I didn't realize how much I truly missed tennis. I used to be really good and participated in tournaments. I hadn't played in over a year and a half. Now that I am back on the courts, it's going to be hard to ever get me off again! I just love it so much, so I am extremely content to have the opportunity to play again. Krav Maga is Israeli self-defense. Krav Maga is used by the FBI, CIA, INS and several law enforcement agencies. It is very intense. Not only do you get a great workout, but you are learning to defend yourself also. It's not for the weak. I've had a few bruises already and have been extremely sore. I haven't felt those muscles in a long time! Maybe my next post will be about Krav Maga....

The Italian is still in Italy, but we are hoping he can make it here by late spring/early summer. It's so hard to be away from him, but we speak on the phone as often as we can and email and text almost everyday. This global economic crisis isn't really helping things much, but we are both optimistic. This is the land of opportunity after all! See, it's all in the attitude, isn't it?

Portland has been in the news in the last few months. First we had the snow storm of the century, dumping almost 2 feet of snow. The city was completely shut down. No one knows how to drive in it, nor is the city equipped to handle it. I just had a chuckle because I have lived in two different states where 2 feet of snow is considered a light dusting. Then Portland was in the news because some nutjob was tired of living, decided to get himself a gun and go to the club district, which is like a mile away from my apartment, and randomly take out some people. The people he victimized were foreign exchange students. 2 died and several were gravely injured. The girl that was most severely injured was a foreign exchange student from Italy. Rome, to be exact. She was shot something like 11 times. Or was it 17?? I don't remember, but it is a miracle that she made it. Her parents came here and I believe are still here with her. It looks like she is going to ride out the school year here. Her family says they love Portland, and they realize it was completely random. I'm so glad that she made it, but I feel terrible for those kids that didn't.

I've also been on Facebook a lot. It's addicting!! I've connected with people I hadn't heard from in years. Are any of you on Facebook?

I've Been a Bad Blogger.....

There are a few things going on in my life right now (all good) but they are causing a major malfunction in my time management. I have so many things to post about but not enough time. It should all get sorted out in the next few days and I'll post all about it as soon as I get the chance. Plus there's a great blogger contest going on right now that I am going to be posting about too. Sorry about being so vague, but it's all I have time for right now. Be back soon!!

Hope you are all having a nice holiday season!!

Book Club and Sugared Walnuts

My friend Sarah invited me to join her book club and of course I graciously accepted. The first meeting was Friday night and the book for that meeting was Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg. Not normally a book I would pick up on my own but I'm an open-minded person, so why not, right? I'm actually not done with it yet. It was a little hard to get into at first, but now it's got my interest. In a nutshell, it's about a woman who is transgender, although she hasn't had the surgery, it's more about her identity. She really goes through a lot in her life and it's really terrible the way transgendered people are treated. Although this is a work of fiction, it really is quite obviously a memoir.

The other women in the book club are really cool and the hostess's husband was an absolute riot, so I had a great time!

For the book club we are all to bring a dish or dessert and wine. I decided to bring my "famous" Sugared Walnuts. They were a big hit! (Further proving the Italian's theory that I am a golosa!) So I'm going to post the recipe here for you all. These are great for the holidays or sporting events like the Superbowl, or even just to munch on while watching a good flick. NOTE: You can use any kind of nut you like, as long as it's not a nut that burns easily, i.e. pecans.

SUGARED WALNUTS
Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 cup water
4 cups shelled walnuts (approx. 1 bag)
2 tablespoons of cinnamon
1/4 of a stick of butter
2 tablespoons of vanilla (if you can, use the Mexican kind, it's just better!)



Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a medium size pot over medium heat, combine the sugar, water, cinnamon, butter, vanilla and dissolve.





Add the walnuts and continue cooking,



Stirring frequently until the walnuts are completely sugar coated and the sugar is crystallized and there is no syrup left.



Pour the mixture onto an ungreased cookie sheet, spreading and separating the walnuts as much as possible.



Bake until the walnuts are golden, about 12 to 15 minutes, stirring at 5 minute intervals.



Let them sit for a few minutes to allow them to harden.



And voila'! The finished product! They are so good while they are still warm...yum!



Please note that I doubled the recipe, so it looks like a lot in the pics but you won't have as much if you stick to the recipe I posted.

Our next meeting for the book club is on December 5th and the book is Flight by Sherman Alexie. I'm so looking forward to it!



Are you a member of a book club? What are you reading?

iTunes Tuesday a Day Late: Special Election Edition Barack Obama

I went for a walk today and even though the skies were gray and the ground was wet, people had smiles on their faces and the atmosphere in Portland is joyous and victorious. Last night history was made and there were fireworks, revelers in the streets. The employees at Trader Joe's were happier than usual. It felt like midnight on New Years. I've never seen anything like it, but it's good, really good. The world is happy!! A friend of mine in California sent me this and it's infectous so I had to pass it on. So rejoice, turn up the speakers and get up and dance!!

A Proud Day for America

We did it. My country voted in the right man for the highest ranking job in the country. I have always been a proud American, but never more so than now. Barack Obama has defeated McCain in a landslide. The people have spoken and the truth prevails. No doubt that he has a tough job ahead of him. Much like Clinton, he will have to clean up the mess that the second Bush has left behind. But true to history, I am positive that a Democrat administration will be good for our economy. There was definitely a ceiling shattered tonight. GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!

I can hear people screaming in the streets!! OMG, I even hear fireworks!!

Happy Halloween!!

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. It's not really a holiday because we don't get the day off and nothing closes, but it's fall and the beginning of the holiday season and I love it!! I have already admitted my addiction to Mellowcreme Pumpkins, because you know, it's all about the candy! But I also love the costumes that people come up with. I have many great memories of Halloween. I remember going trick or treating in San Marino and South Pasadena, some pretty affluent neighborhoods of L.A. (well, at least the closest ones to my neighborhood) Some of these people would actually put out a bowl of money and we would reach our little hands in and grab as much as we possibly could. At one of my former employers, on Halloween we had a contest. Each department was given the task of coming up with a theme. Well, I jumped at the opportunity and orchestrated the whole thing. I turned our department into Skid Row. There was trash everywhere, newpapers, cans. Even plastic rats and little houses made of cardboard with graffiti. It was great! Everybody dressed like bums. I blacked-out a couple of my teeth, ratted out my hair, put make-up on my face to make it look dirty. I even had a plastic booger. Ew! Then I had to take a little something from Eddie Murphy in Trading Places and rolled myself around the office on a crate with wheels. It was pretty hilarious. I'm proud to say that we won first place! Second and third place were the 70's and the jungle.



So in honor of my favorite pagan holiday, I'm going to post some funny costumes. First is a costume designed by some medical professionals, who almost always have a sick sense of humor. I couldn't help but laugh the first time I saw this:



Next we have the dirty old man, retired Hooter girl costume:



And how about a little Magnum P.I.



This next costume had me in stitches. I dressed as Wonder Woman when I was a little girl. Lynda Carter was my idol. I even had the Wonder Woman Underoos! Remember those?



Well, I hope I didn't look like this when I wore them!



And for the cutest/funniest costume, a character from a movie that I found funny, although the Italian didn't particularly like it, we have little Nacho Libre. Isn't he soooo cute!!







I'd say it's a pretty good rendition, don't you think??



One more cute one that I just couldn't resist posting. Isn't that just the cutest little lobster you've ever seen??!!



Where ever you are in the world, whether you celebrate Halloween or not, I hope you all have a wonderful Friday and a great weekend. Now go have some candy, guilt free!