Cristina Happy Birthday

Cristina:
You are a like a sister to me and I appreciate the wonderful friendship that has lasted for over 20 years and probably more to come. I wish you only the best on your 30th birthday, I know this is late but keep in mind better late than never. :)

"The happiness of life is made up of minute fractions - the little, soon-forgotten charities of a friend or smile, a kind look or heartfelt compliment"

Happy Birthday!!

A new niece

I get to have a niece. Yes, Merci and JP's baby is a girl!!!
I am very excited, as I am sure some of you out there are. Everyone is already talking about the bows, earrings, etc.

I can't wait. Is it possible to have the best of both worlds?

A nephew like Pedro Ignacio, who when you call tells you "I am busy, I will talk to you tomorrow." And now a great new niece I can't wait to meet!

Absence makes the heart grow fonder...

Did you all miss me?

I know I have been very bad about not posting but here I am.

It has been a very exciting time. I was up in NYC for a couple of days with my mom and sister. Merci bought a crib for the baby and my mom bought just enough that I can't remember what she actually got. It was the Home Show, which is hundreds of booths selling home essentials/accessories/etc. As always it is fun but extremely exhausting.

On another note Dave had several misfortunes this weekend, and I promised I would not recount them all, but believe me he should have been tied to the couch and told not to move. So instead I am sending good vibes his way hoping it is all better now.

I hope to get my act together in the next couple of days and start posting interesting content but for now I must work on my performance objectives so this is as much brain power as I have. Why do companies come up with such complicated performance objectives and review systems. I am sure there is huge value to them, but honestly when I spend 5 days dreading writing my objectives and it takes me at least 4 hours to do it, didn't the whole process just become counter-productive?
As you can tell I am bitter about this since it just seems pointless, let me do my job and do it well, this process barely affects the way I work. Do you think half way through the year "ahhh yeah one of my objectives was to file my paperwork, maybe I should do that now." I guess I am not the perfect "business person" but I am a designer, I should be creative, and a little goofy too.

I apologize

I know it has been days since I have posted anything.
I am having computer difficulties. Keep in touch and I promise to update you soon.
Elaine

5 Years

In the last 5 years I:
- had 3,643 Tylenol
- moved 2 times
- got engaged
- have lost 671 hours of sleep
- have slept an extra 890 hours
- adopted a mutt
- have taken Toby countless times to the vet/puppy school/kennel
- welcomed a lab into my life (just b/c I love the owner, ooh and Brutus too)
- have gotten 1 speeding ticket
- had my car broken into (my poor jetta)
- had 2 knee surgeries
- completed a 5k
- taught/learned countless time
- became and aunt (an plan on doing it again soon!)
- had too many beers/wine to count
- ate too many times
- still and always will love my family and friends

What is 5 years? Well today I am reflecting on 5 years as it is officially my 5 year anniversary at work. Who would have thought? I many times though I wasn't going to make it. But today I know that times go by very fast and I plan on making the best of each and every moment.

Shaving Toby

Ha! Today was the day.
I shaved Toby, this is not particularly one of his favorite activities but it must feel nice to have some fur off of him.

I could make sweaters with his fur, since it feels like a nice blend of angora and mink, but unfortunately all I am doing is throwing it out. I am also trying to get it off of me. That will take a few showers and a nice scrubbing.

Sitting here waiting for another thunderstorm, the one this morning woke me up at about 4:00am (the middle of the night in my book). It is funny how all dog owners never get to miss a thunderstorm, within seconds both dogs were trembling next to us. You would think a "ferocious" 80 lbs. lab wouldn't be afraid of thunder. Let me not get started on the 85 lbs. mutt, he is even afraid of trucks driving by.

Hope you all had a happy Monday.

Woof woof woof

I am officially annoyed by schnauzers.

I am a dog lover, I am happy to pet any dog and I think most of them are adorable. However, we have 2 shnouzers living in the house behind us...

Every morning at about 7:00am I take Brutus and Toby to play in the back yard. Our back yard butts up against our neighbors. Now I can't say every morning, but I can say about 80% of the time that we go outside the shnouzers are out in their yard. And the territory wars begin.
One of them starts barking at Brutus and it all turns to loudness in about 2 seconds. Brutus rushes to the very end of the yard and lets it roll. Woof wooooooof wooooof...

Now I don't blame him, this is his yard (poor Toby). He has every right to bark away, as they are only instigating. In the meantime I am petrified, it is only 7:00am, what if people are sleeping. Mind you this is not quiet barking, so the entire neighborhood must hear it.

Yet, I look at Toby who is desperately trying to catch the toad in the pool, even though there is no toad in the pool, and he stares at me with a look of "who cares, what is all the fuss about?" As I think to myself, you have got to be kidding me, you are looking for a toad that is not there... So after minutes of barking I yell at Brutus to come back. Now, the one thing that does annoy me is that it takes the schnauzers owner another 15 minutes before blowing his whistle to reprimand his dogs. In the end I end up feeling miserable, maybe I should just let Brutus go at it. Let him bark till he comes back with a smile on his lab face.
I guess dogs will be dogs... or Brutus will be a dog and Toby will be a strange dog.

HOT!

You all know, because you are all experiencing it. It is HOT!

We had a fun filled weekend, a group of friends having a nice day at the pool.
I wish I had time to write more, but I am swamped at work, as I need to keep my job I will go back to working and promise to blog later.
Have fun!