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!

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!

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?

Wordless Wednesday

Slip of the Tongue...??

So as most of the world knows, the "youthful" and often tactless Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi made a remark about our new President Elect being young, handsome and even "tanned". Hmm..anyhow, here is how some Italians have responded to his remark:

http://www.notspeakinginmyname.com/

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!!

What's Grosser Than Gross?

When you go to the grocery store to buy apples for bobbing on Halloween, and the guy standing in front of you at the check-out lane licks his credit card, then slides it through the point of sale machine. Ew!

Where? Fred Meyer's on Burnside. Beware!!

Happy Halloween!

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!

The Job Search is Turning Into the Twilight Zone

Seriously, what's happening here?? I know we are in a recession, but this is getting ridiculous! I wrote before that I am working with an agency that places medical professionals, well apparently they have different divisions for different professions/skills. The woman I interviewed with told me to call her this week about the position at a clinic that is about 5 blocks from my home, so I called her on Monday and left a message but she never called me back. So I called again this afternoon and her colleague answered and told me that the woman was not available and if there was anything she could help me with, so I explained to her that I was to call this week regarding the position discussed with me. She said that the position was not yet available, apparently the clinic is installing a new computer system and they are having problems, but she has another position available. Great! My ears perked up. Then she told me what it entailed. These were her words:

"We have a position doing some door to door canvassing for the McCain/Palin campaign" WHAT THE?????? OK, first of all, this is Oregon. The most liberal state in the union, so why would she just assume that I am a Republican??? Or is it that she just assumes my situation is that of desparation, so I'm willing to do just about anything. I told her as politely as I could that I was not interested in a political career, my career is in Medicine. To which she replied, in a sarcastic tone, I might add, "Well I just thought you'd want to put a few extra dollars in your pocket." I was floored. So I'm just supposed to set aside all my morals, beliefs and convictions to campaign for something and someone I don't believe in???? That's like selling my soul to the devil himself. Well, I'm not that desperate, nor will I ever be. I'd just as soon go work at McDonald's flipping burgers before I work McPain. I'm a little worried now though because I wonder if this will somehow ruin my chances to get a good position through the agency. Boh!

I know that I still have a month of school left, but I was hoping to find something before I finish school. To be honest, it's never taken me this long to find a job. I've always been quite lucky. I can't help but wonder sometimes if it's something about me. Am I hideous?? Do I offend?? It's not like me to be negative or a pessimist. I'm normally a positive and confident person, but this is getting to be a bit much. I'm not one to quit or give up easily, so I'll just keep my head up and keep searching. Que sera, sera...Whatever will be will be...

And now, I'm going to drown my sorrows in some Mellowcreme Pumpkins. That ought to do the trick! :)

I Was Attacked By A Bag of Mellowcreme Pumpkins

Yesterday before going to school, I stopped at Safeway to pick up some bananas for my Morning Banana Diet when it happened. There was I was, innocent as ever, waiting my turn in line to pay for my bananas when out of the corner of my eye comes flying this bag of Mellowcreme Pumpkins. I couldn't believe it. I had been avoiding them like the plague because these little orange bits of goodness are like crack for me. I'm insanely addicted to the little orange happy smiling pumpkin dudes, but my insane addiction only comes about in the Fall. How could I possibly resist?? Plus, they were on sale, 2 bags for $4. I'm a sucker for a good sale, so I caved. I admit it. My name is Piccola and I'm a Mellowcreme Pumpkin-aholic. These tiny bite size wonders have been available since early September, so that should tell you how long I have resisted purchasing these little bastards. This is the last week they will be available, so I gave in. I hope my ass doesn't start taking the shape of a pumpkin...oh God no!

I took one bag to class and gave it to my classmates who proceeded to tell me, "Oh sure, you're on a diet so you brought us the candy. If I can't be skinny, let my friends be fat." How could they dare think that of me?? I showed them that I had purchase one bag for myself and have justified the purchase because I am allowed one sweet snack in the afternoon at 3pm. I also noticed that Weight Watchers allows a serving for 3 points, so there. They won't kill me and for a brief while, they will make me happy. So I'm going to eat them until my teeth hurt. I know the Italian is reading this, gritting his teeth and saying, "Golosa" Si amore, golosa io sono golosa!! Mi dispiace pero'.... :) But hey, they're made with real honey!



There is no comparison to Mellowcreme Pumpkins. Not even candy corn, which can be had any time of the year, can compete. In conclusion, Mellowcreme Pumpkins are a heaven-sent joy that can only be had once a year. Go out and get your bag today before they sell out!

What's Wrong With This Picture?? And an Important Message

Can you spot it? This just confirms her ignorance, but hey, thanks for the support Palin.



And now an important message from young America.

Rejection: Dodge Ball Style

So I got my first rejection for a job. It was (technically) only my first interview. I did have an informational interview with a professional recruiter too, but that went well and I made a great connection.

On to the interview....It actually went really well. I first interviewed with the Office Manager, then with an RN. The office manager was really cool and made me feel comfortable, the nurse however, not so much. The thing is, she started discussing salary with me, which in my experience, doesn't really happen until an offer is made. So she asked me what my expectations were and I told her. I also noted that since they wanted me to use my Spanish language skills, I would like to be paid a little more, which is standard. I don't think she liked this much, but I'm not going to sell myself short. When she told me what they wanted to pay, I was a little shocked to say the least. She was trying to low-ball me, but I figured there would be room for negotiation if an offer was made. The office manager told me that they would be making a decision soon because they really needed someone.

Let me just tell you that this clinic, without revealing too much information, is a super high-tech specialty surgeons clinic. These guys have money and I wasn't asking for much. I mean I was actually quoting the lower end of the pay scale hoping to negotiate my way up. One MD won't even see patients unless they are willing to have surgery. Yeah, one of those.

So after my interview I emailed the office manager and told her thank you for taking the time to interview me and that I look forward to hearing from her, etc etc.... Then I called her and left messages 3 times. She never called me back. On the 4th call, the receptionist told me she was available and put me on hold, then hung up on me. When I called back, someone else answered the phone and told me the office manager wanted her to relay the message that the position had been filled. I'm not stupid. I knew they gave the position to someone else. What I wanted was to get feedback regarding my interviewing skills. She wouldn't even take my phone call for that. I think it's kind of strange. Other interviews I have been on in the past, that I didn't get the job for, I either got a phone call, letter or email. Rude. That's what I think.

So as I was writing this, I got a phone call for an interview. Cool! I'm moving on and this job pays exactly what I want. Pray for me!!

On Joe the Plumber.....

Joe the Plumber is full of shit. Surprise, surprise. First of all, he's not even a licensed plumber, second of all, he owes back taxes. How does he expect to buy a business if 1. he's not licensed and 2. he can't even pay his taxes! But I love that McCain tried to use him as an example of why his policy would be "better". It's typical though. McCain/Palin can't seem to get any of their information straight now, can they?? So now poor Joe is the butt of many jokes. Here's a little video with all the heckling. Enjoy!

Politics in No Time @ Yahoo! Video

The Last Debate Before the Elections

Wow, this was McCain's chance to redeem himself, instead he showed just how little control he has of his emotions. He might as well have thrown himself on the floor to complete his little tantrum. The incessant blinking, rolling his eyes, snickering and sneering. Grow up dude! It's obvious that he knows he's in trouble but instead of ceasing the opportunity to take the lead, he acted like a child. Obama had the opportunity to completely discredit Palin when he was asked if she was qualified for the VP, instead he took the high road. Did McCain when posed the same question?? No, of course not. Personally, I don't want a man or woman with a temperament like that representing my country. McCain and Palin are like two peas in a pod. Neither of them can speak eloquently, nor can they remain composed in the face of adversity. They should take their act to the World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. I think that's more their target audience. Those "Joe six pack" types. Speaking of Joe, Joe the Plumber sure got his 15 minutes, didn't he? I hope he realizes that McCain isn't the right choice for him. Especially with regards to his healthcare plan. This is one of the most important issues to me both because I am still paying medical bills from last year and because I will soon be working in the healthcare industry (and have in the past). I'm not a doctor but I have lots of friends that are and this is what the very respected New England Journal of Medicine has to say about McCain's healthcare plan:

The choice facing health care professionals, like all Americans, is basic: Who deserves to be trusted with the stewardship of America's health care system? The McCain proposal violates the bedrock principle that major health policy reforms should first do no harm. It would risk the viability of employer-sponsored insurance and the welfare of chronically ill Americans in pell-mell pursuit of a radical vision of consumer-driven health care. Senator McCain's plan does not demonstrate the kind of judgment needed in a potential commander in chief of our health care system.

I'm willing to bet that Palin has never even heard of the New England Journal of Medicine! Shoot, she probably doesn't even know where New England is and I'm sure has never been there. What would be the point? That part of the country is as blue as the sky.

Here is a little video on what the analysts had to say about John McCain's anger mismanagement:



Only a few more weeks and I can cast my vote. Get out there and vote people!! I had a dream that we won and I didn't care what time it was, I sent a text to the Italian in Milano saying, "WE WON, WE WON!!" This of course wouldn't be good news to him being a Republican sympathizer and all, but man would I love the chance to rub it in his face!!I hope my dream is a prelude of good things to come.

La Cucaracha

My Mom gave me this nickname when I was a baby. She says it's because once I learned how to crawl, I got into everything. There was no stopping me. But that's not what this post is about. You see, Sunday night after I finished dinner and washed my dishes, I curled up on my super comfy couch, wrapped myself up in a blanket and indulged in my book Eclipse. The third installation of the Twilight series. (I'm loving this whole vampire romance crap!) So I'm reading my book when I see something out of the corner of my eye. What is that?? So I got up and got closer....Oh.My.God it's a friggin' roach!!! I have lived in this apartment for exactly one year and four months and have never ever had roaches. Che scifo! Que asco! Horrified, I grabbed the nearest thing, which happened to be a library book, (sorry Multnomah county library, but it had to be done) threw it on top of the roach and jumped up and down on the book. Then I carefully picked up the book expecting to see guts all over the book and carpet, but no. This little bastard is a survivor. His legs were still moving. So I ran to the kitchen, grabbed a papertowel and picked up the little bastard. I had a closer look to make sure it was in fact a roach and much to my chagrin, it was indeed. I flushed that little monster down the toilet and looked everywhere for more. Nothing so far. Where did it come from??? I am anal about cleaning up the kitchen and any crumbs that might fall. I'm a clean person, so why did this little bastard invade my home?? I even had nightmares last night about having a giant roach infestation in my apartment.

Today when I called the Italian I told him, "Baby, I'm scared" to which he replied in his adorable Italian accent, "What's happened?" "I killed a roach in the apartment last night". He started laughing! He said, "Oh, I was thinking you were going to say you were scared about the financial crisis going on in the U.S. It's just a little creature. Poor guy. Don't kill it" WHAT????? I was expecting a little more sympathy. He said I should never go to Southern Italy or Africa. Growing up, my house was immaculate. My Mom cleaned everyday. She always told me that roaches came from filth. I've been traumatized since I was a child about roaches. Here are my reasons why:

1. When I was a little girl, I used to spend my summers in Mexico. There are flying cockroaches in Mexico and some are as big as my foot. No joke. While having dinner at my uncles house I felt something land on my shoulder. Yep, it was a flying cockroach. EW!!! OMG!! I screamed and my cousin flicked it off me. I was so grossed out I couldn't even finish my dinner. Everyone else just shrugged it off.

2. When I was about 12 years old my friend invited me to the movies to see The Karate Kid. I took the bus to her place, which happened to be in the projects. I grew up in the hood so this didn't bother me. Her Mom told us to go wait for her in the car, so we were in there for about 5 minutes when I felt something tickling my leg(I was wearing jeans) so I patted my leg and it stopped. A few minutes later I felt it again, so I slapped my leg, then out comes this roach from the bottom of my jeans. OMG!! I screamed again. My friend said to me, "You're in the projects, everybody has roaches". When I went home and told my Mom she was horrified! She said, "I hope you didn't bring any home with you".

3. When I first moved to New York I stayed at a friends house in the Bronx and there were roaches everywhere. These roaches could move furniture. I remember going to a restaurant in Times Square and there was a roach crawling around in the booth we were sitting in. I got up and said, "I'm not eating here!" When I finally got my own apartment I asked the landlady if there were any roaches because I did not want to move into a place knowing there were roaches. She laughed and said no, there are no roaches here. I lived there for two and a half years and only saw one roach the whole time I lived there. I did however have a mouse towards the end of my stay there and it was enough to make me stark raving mad! Luckily, my landlady acted fast on these things and got pest control to come out right away.

4. Claire Danes was chastised for saying that the Philippines was infested with roaches. She was even declared persona non grata. See her wikipedia page under "controversy". Well, I'm sorry to say that she is absolutely, 100% correct. I spent a month there and not a day went by that I didn't see at least 20 of them, and they fly there too. Don't get me wrong, outside of Manila, the Philippines is a tropical paradise with some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, and the people are so nice and welcoming. But the fact is that it is a tropical place and there are tons of roaches. I did not sleep comfortably the whole time I was there. I saw them crawling up the sides of the bed I slept in and I had my suitcase open one night and before I could close it, one ran into it. Argh! I was so paranoid that I was going to bring one back home with me.

And now this! Mamma mia, I will never learn to live with these little bastards. I hate them. When I got home from school today, I took all the cushions off my couch and vacuumed between every crevice. I moved my couch and ottoman and vacuumed every corner for fear that there might be a crumb lurking somewhere. I have friends with kids and when they visit, it's inevitable that there will be crumbs left from their snacks. It looks like someone moved out recently. Maybe it came from their apartment. I don't know but if I see another one, I'm going to have to tell the manager. He's new to the property and I don't think he likes me because we sort of got off on the wrong foot, but I'll save that for another post. The previous manager was so cool. I miss her! Should I buy some of those little roach motels?? I'm embarassed to do so because people might think that I'm dirty! Ew!

Did anyone ever see the commercial that started out with the roaches crawling all over the screen? When this commercial first aired, people were actually throwing things at their tv's and breaking them! I searched for the commercial on youtube.com but had no luck. I did find this article about it.

My apartment is on the ground floor so I do get spiders and other creepy crawlies. I did have an ant invasion last year for which I damn near lost my mind and my poor Italian bore the brunt of that. He ran to the grocery store to get some Raid while I searched for the entry point. Anyhow, I hope to never see one of those little bastards in here again, in the mean time I am going to live in a paranoid state. This may be a job for the Verminators.

Twilight

Saturday I had to drive out to Beaverton, a suburb of Portland, to pick up some pants I was having altered by a seamstress. She told me last week that she was going to be home all day so I could stop by anytime on Saturday. As luck would have it, she was not home when I arrived. I called her cell phone and she told me she was out running errands and wouldn't be home until 3:30pm. It was now 12:30pm. Great. Lesson learned. I should have called before I went. I didn't want to have to drive back to Portland and back again, so I remembered that there was a movie theater nearby. There are a few movies I've been wanting to see but the only one starting when I arrived at the theater was "Righteous Kill", the DeNiro/Pacino movie. All the others had already started, so "Righteuos Kill" it was. This movie was just ok, not their greatest body of work. It was a bit predictable. The Italian would have probably liked it more than me as this is his kind of movie and he is a DeNiro fan. When the movie ended, I still had an hour to kill, so I headed over to Barnes & Noble.

Normally, in terms of buying books, I scout out the book at Barnes or Powell's(Powell's deserves it's own post and that will be coming soon), then I come home and order the books that interest me from amazon.com. Unless Powell's has a used version. So when I went to Barnes, there was quite the display for this book called "Twilight". Being artistically inclined, I'm a sucker for a good display. I was intrigued. So I picked up the book and kind of thumbed through it. Seemed pretty good, so I wrote it down on my list of books to scout out on Amazon. Now I have to tell you that this book is about a love story between a vampire and a normal girl. Not normally a subject I like to read about, vampires. I like books that transport me to another place, and perhaps another time, but I used to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer back in the day, so I thought, why not? Plus, it is listed as a young adult book, but there were some older women talking about how they loved the book. I'm such a sucker, I know, I know. Some of the other books that interest me are "The Bastard of Istanbul" and "The Flea Palace" by Elif Sharak.

So when I got home and started researching this book, which is actually the first in a series, I was sort of thrown for a loop when I found out that this book has like this total cult following all over the world. It's been on the NY Times bestseller list like forever, it's been translated to over 20 languages and there's a movie coming out in November AND it was filmed right here, in Portland, Oregon. Where the hell have I been??? People have created websites dedicated to this series of books and they are traveling to the litte town of Forks, Washington where the story takes place. I'm not normally one to "jump on the bandwagon" but all of this really has me intrigued, so I am going to order the book from Amazon. I checked the library website to see if it was available and the system has 89 copies with 471 holds on this book. Insane. I want to read it before the movie comes out, so I'm not willing to put my name on a waiting list of 471 people. After I finish reading the book, which may take a while because I have a lot of other reading to do for school, I will post my review. Off to order my book!

Here's a trailer for the movie:

A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words.

After Palin's speech last night, I donated money to the Obama campaign. After McCain's speech tonight (one that damn near put me to sleep AND I must have downed at least half a bottle of Pepto Bismol) I donated again. At this rate, if these Republicans keep giving speeches I'm going to have to file for bankruptcy.

My bad: Gov. Palin does actually have a passport. She got it in 2007 when she had to go to Kuwait to visit the Alaska National Guard. She has also listed a "stop" (i.e. layover) in Ireland on her foreign experience resume. Pathetic. I've spent more time at Schipol airport in Amsterdam that she did in Ireland.

AND

for attempting to appeal to the "special needs" population, I say...Hypocrite and shame on you. She CUT funds for special needs programs in her state. Hmm, a Freudian slip on her part maybe?

A village in Alaska has lost it's idiot.

“Jesus was a Community Organizer, and Pontias Pilate was a Governor.”

https://donate.barackobama.com/

Palin: Are You Kidding Me?? The GOP Has Lost It's Proverbial Mind

I am sitting here watching the RNC and listening to Palin's "speech". This is a joke, really. Michelle Obama's speech was far better. Michelle Obama is far more fit to be the VP than Palin. Palin has no where near the education or experience that Michelle Obama or Hillary Clinton do. She can't even see Barack. She was a small town mayor who had to hire a city administrator to help her do her job because a town of 6,000 or whatever was too much for her to handle. Um, how about a country of millions?? Taking cheap shots at Obama saying he's unqualified, WTF??? Let's compare apples to apples here. The woman has ZERO experience on foreign policy and I don't even think she's ever been out of the country. She probably doesn't even own a passport. But I digress.

Sarah Palin is far right politically, and contrary to what the GOP would have you believe, her experience does not qualify her for the 2nd most important position in the country. This is a cynical gamble on the part of John McCain - shame on him for putting this country and the world at risk in such perilous times. It's funny how the GOP is always touting itself as the party of national security - what a joke!

Do these people realize that McCain is 72 years old and not in the best of health. If something happens to him, she becomes President. OMG! The world is laughing at us right now, seriously. The London Times is calling Palin "An Apalling Candidate". She just mentioned no earmarking in her speech, yet her record clearly shows she earmarked in the past. She is being investigated for abuse of power (i.e. corruption) after less than two years in office. That sure shows something about her leadership style. And now she says she wants to build more nuclear plants!!?? She wasn't even properly vetted before McCain announced she was to be his running mate. I won't even comment on her family.....Mamma Mia! You can read more about her here: http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/09/about-sarah-palin-by-someone-w.php

I'm really scared about the way politics are going in this country. This blog is not going to get political, but I just had to say something. I'm going to change the channel now because I'm getting sick to my stomache. I'm so glad I live in ultra-liberal Oregon. I'll never leave this place. God help us all......!

Stolen Again!

When I got home from school today I checked my email and saw that I had a message from my Ale. In the subject line it said, "News from Murphy". Hmm....A strange but intriguing title. After reading it, I understood that he was referring to Murphy's Law. He said that as he got off the tube, he walked to the parking lot only to find that his "Cinquecento" had been stolen, AGAIN! His cinquecento was stolen last year too. He had to spend a few hours at the Carabinieri's making a report. Luckily there wasn't much gas in it the first time, and the perps ran out of gas in Monza, so they were able to recover the car. Now, another hour lost at the Carabinieri's office making a report. I hope they find it soon. Before he comes here next week would be nice. My poor Ale has had so much bad luck with his little car in the last 6 months. It also got hit while it was parked and of course, no note left. Then his sister got into an accident while driving it (she was OK, thank goodness). Those of you in Italy know that insurance and taxes in Italy for cars is so expensive, even for a little Fiat. He's so frustrated. He even mentioned the word "voodoo" in his message. I felt so bad after reading it. I wanted to call him, but I figured he probably didn't want to talk about it, so I figured I'd just message him back.

A few weeks ago my car got broken into. It's really rare that it happens in my neighborhood, but I left my backpack in my car and I guess it was just too tempting for someone not to pass up. It was completely useless to them because all it had in it was my schoolwork and some school supplies. Nothing of real value to a thief. It was of value to me though because I had to do all that school work all over again.....ARGH!! Thankfully, they didn't take any of my school books which were on the back seat because those are expensive to replace. I did have my TomTom GPS locked in the glove box, but they didn't bother to try to open that up, thank goodness! I keep it in the apartment now. I did have to swallow the cost of replacing the window they broke because my insurance deductible is $500 and the window wasn't quite that much but it did set me back $267. It may not sound like much but I'm a student now, living on a student's budget so it did sting a little bit. Street parking sucks! The police report was all done over the phone. The officer told me that there wasn't much they could do, which didn't surprise me. He told me to go looking in the dumpsters in my neighborhood because the thieves usually dump the stuff after taking what they want. Well, as terrible as I felt that my backpack was stolen, I wasn't about to stick my head in any dumpsters looking for it. Like I said, there really wasn't anything valuable in it, so I cut my losses.

It's terrible that we have such callous people in this world, but unfortunately, that's life. It's hard not to feel worried about something like that happening again. I try to think positively and hope for the best. But to have your car stolen not once but twice has got to be discouraging.

Jessica in Rome: if you are reading this, there seems to be something wrong with your site. Unless it's just me (but I've tried on two different computers), whenever I try to log on to your site, it gives me an error prompt. It says Internet explorer can not open the site. Operation aborted. It's just happened in the last week. Please let me know if it's just on my end. Thanks!

Is There No End In Sight???

I was walking down West Burnside on Friday and saw this. I couldn't believe the prices at this gas station! There were gas stations not too far from here that were considerably cheaper, but people were still buying gas here. Here's a cool website where you can find the cheapest gas in your area gasbuddy.com It includes the U.S. and Canada. I've been using it, but luckily I only have to fill up once every two weeks since my school is only 2.5 miles away. I'm thinking of taking public transportation this summer. The problem is that there is no direct bus or Streetcar to get there. I would have to transfer and that gets time consuming.
I know that gas is more expensive in the UK and Europe, but still, this is getting ridiculous. We Americans are used to paying a lot less. I hope this gets better soon.

Please note: This is not a Friday the 13th joke! Unfortunately, this is very real. Happy Pranking!!