Jovi-al

My Civic Duty

2009-03-20T20:54:00.002-05:00

So, once again I've been called for jury duty. Somehow they manage to get me every time the four year period is up. When I was 18 I liked jury duty. At 31, its a hassle. I've been out of the office so much for meetings and stuff lately that another day will really set me back. I have my fingers crossed that I don't get picked and I serve my one day and I am dismissed. While I welcome a day away from the office, this is not what I had in mind. Plus, every time I go, they play the same movie...Family Man with Nicholas Cage. Cute movie, but once was enough. Three times was more than annoying. I am curious to see if that's still the movie of choice down in good old St. George.
But here's a thought. Right now the unemployment rate is the highest its been in what, 25 years or so? So why not at this time have people who are on unemployment serve? I know jury duty doesn't pay much, but that $40 could really help when you have nothing coming in. I know it takes a day away from possible interviews, but right now things are so bad that really who's hiring?

WTF?

2009-03-04T16:56:00.002-05:00

Just read a post on TMZ about the world's ugliest cat..

And I thought the previous winner was bad...

Yikes!!!

My Munchkins

2009-01-27T22:22:00.002-05:00

Traveling for business sucks. Last week I was in Florida and this week Denver. Now I'm home and there's a million and one things to do. Laundry, work, paying bills, cleaning...ugh it doesn't end! But today I took a comp day and had the sweetest surprise..an after school visit from my niece and nephew! I was so excited when I heard the doorbell ring and saw that sweet little face of my nephew at the door. He thought he was just coming to hang out with Uncle Frankie while my brother got Grace at school, and I think he was even more excited to see I was home. Then Grace came and was happy to stay and have lunch with me while her dad went to the store. We played, had subway, watched icarly and snuggled on the couch. They are just the sweetest little people in the world! It was totally worth traveling to have today off to spend with them.

When Facebook Attacks

2009-01-09T09:23:00.003-05:00

Even as a fan of Facebook I will admit its weird, inappropriate at times and can just be plain old immature. But still, its all in good fun. What I can't stand is when Facebook feels the need to say "(insert name here) is now listed as single". Must they do that? Must they put an announcement for the whole world to see? What's even worse is the comments that people leave! " Oh no, what happened to you and so and so?" "You looked so happy!" "Dude, that's messed up." " Call me I'm here for you!" Come on people, let the moment be somewhat private for God sake! I understand being on there in the first place and putting your whole life up for the world to see is crazy enough, but must we add to the insanity? Breaking up with someone on your teens is one thing, but when you're in your late 20's a break-up is never easy. Please people, think before you post.

Welcome Home Chris!

2009-01-07T15:44:00.003-05:00

My good friend Julie's fiancé just returned home from Afghanistan and the Staten Island Advance ran this sweet article on his homecoming. I had to share it! Welcome home Chris!

New Year, Same Old Me…For Now Anyway

2009-01-06T15:47:00.001-05:00

Yup, I’m back. I know it’s been a while. It seems like time was literally flying last year and before I knew, it was over…which makes me happy because 2008 sucked. I won’t sugar coat it, it was just a bad year. And the more I talk to people the more I realize I’m not alone. Besides the obvious economic struggles, I think there was just something in the air that made it miserable for all. Well time to put it all behind and start over! At least for me.
I decided the other day that I wanted a New Year’s resolution, something I could actually follow. But then I thought about it and those resolutions are too easy to break, come February they are usually forgotten about…Weight Watchers, going to the gym…all the new year’s clichés. So I decided instead to think about things in my life, things I often forget about or push to the side, things I need to make time for and things that would make me happy. So I came up with a list.

1. Stop stressing about what I can’t control. I tried this last year and I did ok. I of course had my moments, but overall I handled some things better than I would have in the past.
2. Blog more. It’s a stress reliever and from what I hear from friends and family, it makes them happy. Done.
3. If I buy something, I must use it. No more “saving things for a special occasion”. Seriously, no more clothes left with tags on. No more shoes waiting to be worn for a night out. I’ll use the good dishes and glassware. This item on the list also means no more buying lip glosses/makeup/hair products until I use the other ones. Which takes me to #4…
4. Be clutter-free. Typically I’m a neat freak. But while on a two week vacation from work, I cleaned every closet and cabinet in my house and had over 6 big garbage bags full of crap. So as orderly as I think I am, there’s always room for improvement.
5. Stop putting off the same old projects. Last year I purchased tons of picture frames for vacation and family pictures that need to go in them. This year, not only will I frame them, I’ll actually hang them on the wall. Crazy I know!
6. Take better care of myself. Although I get regular check-ups and visit the dentist twice a year I need to eat more veggies, get more fresh air, spend less time online, get more sleep, and cook more.
7. And finally, save more money!

Looking back over this it seems like alot…but I’ve been through worse. Hopefully 2009 will be full of change and good things for all of us.

Vote Aqui!

2008-11-04T10:50:00.003-05:00

Just a friendly reminder to go out and vote! I think if we learned anything from the last election its that every vote counts!
I already went at 8am this morning and walked in with no lines :-)

NKOhnoTB

2008-09-24T13:13:00.001-05:00

I have a confession. Last night I went to my first New Kids concert.
Let me start off by saying that if you told me 20 years ago that I would ever end up at New Kids on the Block concert, I would have laughed at you. While all the girls I was friends with in grammar school walked around sporting their oversized Jordan Night buttons, I was rocking a Skid Row t-shirt. Although I have always had an eclectic taste of music, it NEVER included NKOTB and anybody who knows me can attest to that. So when Javonne called me Friday and said she had a FREE ticket to the show last night, I thought why not, let’s see what all the fuss is about. And so the adventure began.
We had seats in the upper deck, which I am always happy with at a concert. When we sat down the row was empty, then a group of three very large girls came and sat down (not trying to be mean, I’m no little one myself) but I was happy that they were next to Javonne and not me seeing that I already anticipated being tortured for the night by my surroundings as is. Then I was punished, I won’t get into details but let’s just say the girl who came and sat next to me didn’t even compare to the other one. She literally took up 3 seats. She was in hers, mine and her girlfriend’s next to her. I’m really not trying to be a bitch, but in situations like that and airplanes, it’s just not fair. Luckily nobody was in the row behind us so we moved there.
Now on to the show. I will say it was more entertaining then I expected.
Natasha Bedingfield opened for them which I thought was a decent opening act. I’m familiar with some of her stuff and think she’s ok. But all she did was scream! It was just too much and after 20 minutes she needed to get off the stage. And when she finally did I looked at my watch and realized it was 9pm already! I couldn’t believe how late it was. Then of course they still needed to change the set for the beantown boys, so I was getting anxious as it was already past my bedtime. I mean c’mon guys we’re not young anymore, we need to get to bed! Then finally at 9:30 they came out and started to perform. At least I think they did. It was hard to hear with 30,000 grown women screaming—I mean c’mon ladies aren’t we over that by now? It was a bit excessive.
But the show flowed nicely with taking turns “singing” a mix of old and new song. I use quotes on the word singing because when you stick the microphone out to the audience for half the show for them to sing, it kind of takes something away. I also thought it was a bit odd when Donnie wore a guitar during the song Covergirl but never actually played it…what’s up with that? Even though I don’t see their musical talent, I took the show for what it was and just had fun with it.
I have to say I think they all aged pretty well in the looks department, especially Donnie—gotta love them Wahlberg boys!!! In fact Joey actually pointed out a few times how good they looked, which made him seem a bit pompous, but he grew up rather nicely. Jonathan looked the same as he always has and I think its great that he has overcome the phobia he struggled with for so many years of going out in public. It must have taken a lot for him to perform and I gotta say that’s pretty cool. Danny and Jordan also looked the same. It kills me that Jordan is still able to sing like a prepubescent boy. Not sure how he did it (possibly he wore shorts that were a bit too tight in the seat?), but he did! And he performed the song Give it to You which was his solo hit, and I have to say I always liked that song.I think if you’re a New Kids fan, you’re going to love the show. Like I said I didn’t follow them, but it was still nostalgic in a pretty cool way. From some of their dance moves to some of the things they talked about and of course hearing songs like Step by Step and The Right Stuff is enough to get even me wanting to grab my belt buckle and swing my feet from side to side. Will I be loving them forever? No, but I did want to get on the floor and do the New Kids dance.

Fall is Here!

2008-09-19T10:02:00.001-05:00

Oh this weather makes me so happy! Good hair days are back again! Let's hope this stays....

Time to Get the Old Violin Out

2008-08-26T20:53:00.002-05:00

Ok, I know I am going to catch so much shit for this blog, but here it goes. Teaching is a tough job, I understand that, I actually have alot of interaction with teachers with what I do and I know they don't always have it easy. And yes, I chose not to become one...it wasn't for me. But guess what, my job, pretty much like every other job, is also hard. So when I have to hear my friends who are teachers complain that they have to go back to work this week, I swear it makes me want to scream!
Let's start off with the fact that teachers just had 10 weeks off. I repeat, 10 weeks! Let's also remember that they get a winter break, a spring break, national holidays, Jewish holidays or Catholic holidays depending on where you teach, election day, Columbus day, veterans' day and many more...totaling to about 13 weeks if not more in a year. You know what most people got this year? Four. Huge difference when you think about it. And I know what's coming next...teachers don't make as much as other professions...well guess what, contrary to the belief the marketing field doesn't pay so well either. Trust me.
Ok, venting session is done. C0na out...

I Knew It!

2008-08-25T09:34:00.004-05:00

There really is a Yeti....

The Last Frontier

2008-07-29T16:21:00.006-05:00

So we made it back safe and sound from our absolutely amazing vacation! There’s so much to show and tell, but let’s start with the overall trip and cruise line ( I’m going to blog backwards here so start at this one and work your way down). Our journey started in Seattle where we boarded the Golden Princess. Heading out to Seattle from NY is such a long flight and by the time we got there we were already exhausted but really looking forward to everything.
We landed in Seattle a bit early which was super nice and hopped in a cab to head toward the boat. Once we got there, check-in was easy and smooth and we were on our way to our room. The room was ok, big for a cruise ship, but slightly outdated (keep in mind that after cruising on Disney Cruise Lines last October, we got accustomed to a VERY high level of quality and service). But as soon as we got on the boat, they already had $70 of our money. That’s what they charge for 2 people for the whole week to drink soda (in our case seltzer—which kills me because it’s just carbonated water!). Alcohol I can understand, but that’s crazy after paying all the money we did initially for the vacation…whatever. So we quickly headed over to the safety drill they had and then put on our bathing suits to head up to the sail away party. The sail away party was nothing fancy but we just hung out and had a few beers. We were officially on our way and we were beyond thrilled!
Now, here’s what I liked and didn’t like about Princess Cruise Lines (and yes, I will be comparing it to Disney because it’s all I know).
Like I said the rooms weren’t exactly sparkling. Our bed was not great. Basically it was two full beds pushed together to make a queen, except my side was crooked and it was almost as if I was sleeping on a hill. I rolled down many nights.
The service was so-so. The person who cleaned our room was fantastic, but some of the people in the dining rooms were a bit rude at times. Usually on a cruise you have the same waiters for the duration of your trip, but because we chose the anytime dining, we didn’t and that’s probably why we didn’t experience a high level of service. The food was phenomenal no matter where we ate though.
Tips are automatically tacked on to your bill on Princess. We paid $10.50 a day per person. So for me and Frankie we were spending $21 a day no matter what. On Disney they provided you with envelopes and you tipped what you wanted to who you wanted--and we took very good care of them. I wasn’t thrilled about being forced to tip like that, but I guess if they don’t most people will screw them.
Here’s one you might not believe, but it’s 100% true. I saw more kids on this ship than I did on Disney. That’s because Disney had a million things for the kids to do and they were always busy. This ship had things for kids and teens, but not a lot. So no matter where you went, there were pretty much kids everywhere. Not that I mind, I like kids. But for those who don’t, just a heads up.
Don’t get me wrong, overall I really liked Princess, there was just a few things I would change. And would I travel with Princess again? Possibly, but there are other lines I would like to try.
Now…on to Juneau!

Juneau

2008-07-29T16:13:00.010-05:00

For two days we were at sea. The first night we just got acquainted with the boat and the second night we attended the captain’s cocktail party, which was very lovely. Going to bed that night felt like Christmas Eve because I couldn’t wait to wake up and see what would await us! And then morning came…I think Juneau was my favorite out of all three ports we went to. Our voyage to Juneau was so pretty, snow capped mountains all around and beautiful blue water. We even saw sharks in the water, which we did not expect. Very cool.
When we started to pull up we went outside to see what it looked like, I couldn’t believe what a sweet, picturesque town was before us. You could see a stretch of cute little shops and all the pretty ships in the port. We were in love and we hadn’t even stepped off the boat.
We were super excited for our helicopter tour to the glacier, but unfortunately due to the fog, it got cancelled. I was bummed and wanted to see Mendenhall Glacier. But luckily we found a really cool tour of the city that stopped there. Our helicopter was supposed to land on it, but at only $27 a person for this tour, we were sold. So we headed on a tour bus with some really cool young local guide and we were on our way. First he took us to this really pretty park that overlooked the town. It was a quick stop but really cool. Then we headed out further into Juneau along Eagle Way and I cannot believe how many eagles were just on the sides of the road and in the trees! Truly amazing! We drove by a few more places and then we were finally at the glacier. I guess I didn’t know quite what to expect and when I first caught site of it, I was blown away. The park surrounding it, complete with waterfalls, was gorgeous, but the ice was beyond words! The contrasts of blue and white and the cuts throughout it were stunning. Like nothing I have ever seen before and probably never will again. And as I sat there in awe at the site of it, Frankie calmly let me know that there was a bear about 20 feet in front of us. There he was, a cute little fuzzy brown bear just walking in the grass, he then crossed the gravel street path and continued on to the other side of the park. Stupid people were following him all around like the paparazzi which annoyed me, but there were lovely, knowledgeable park rangers to make sure they didn’t frighten him. We were able to hang out at the park for about an hour and then it was time to head back to the bus.
Back on the ship we met up with our friends who traveled with us and had a nice dinner followed by drinks. They spent the day kayaking we all headed up somewhat early to get a good rest for our next port, Skagway.

Skagway

2008-07-29T16:02:00.008-05:00

Skagway was also awesome! Again cute little town, lots of shops, saloons, and the best thing—the White Pass and Yukon Route. We bought tickets for this in advance and we’ve heard great things about it, but I never imagined it would be as cool as it was.
Here is the description from the website “The WP&YR climbs nearly 3000 feet in just 20 miles and features steep grades of up to 3.9%, cliff-hanging turns of 16 degrees, two tunnels and numerous bridges and trestles. See the steel cantilever bridge which was the tallest of its kind in the world when it was constructed in 1901.”
The whole ride was three hours long and takes you all the way up into Canada. I knew that it went up a mountain but I had no idea just how high it could go! The coolest thing is that each car has a balcony in the front and back, and about 10 minutes into the trip, they let you go out there and take pics. And you can stay for the duration of the ride! It was slightly terrifying but so cool. Me and Kenny stayed out there for a bit and got some pretty cool shots. Frankie and Maria took naps. Hey, that’s what vacation is all about, relaxing! It was an expensive nap though. But in addition to the pretty greenery and mountains we saw, we saw another bear and some mountain goats.
After, we hit the hot tub, took naps and showers and went to dinner and then hit the nightclub. Frankie let loose and joined in on Vodka shots and even danced with Maria for a bit! I was impressed at what vacation can do to a person.
The next morning we needed to be up bright and early for the journey through Tracy Arm Fjord, which I’ve heard is amazing!

Tracy Arm Fjord

2008-07-29T15:38:00.015-05:00

7 am (Frankie gets up to use the bathroom)
Jaimie: Hun, are we there yet? I don’t want to miss it. Look outside while you’re up.
Frankie: I don’t think so, there’s nothing out there but ice.
Silly Frankie! That would be what we were waiting for! So we threw on sweatshirts and headed out on to the balcony. They had an Alaskan author narrate our trip through, which was such a nice touch. As we went along, you could see little seals swimming up to little patches of ice, and you could see crystal blue glacial ice all along the way. It was a spectacular site! During the narration they mentioned the best spot was on deck 7 in the front. We quickly ran up, but then realized our balcony was so much better! Plus they turn the ship around and reverse the trip, so you don’t miss a thing. So we grabbed some coffee and spent the rest of it right at our room. If you are considering an Alaskan cruise, I would suggest getting a balcony. Oh, and bring binoculars!

When we got to the end, they made sure to tell us that as we continued our trip to Ketchikan, around 4:30-7:30 we should be sure to be on the look out for whales as this is their dinner time and we should be able to spot some. And we did! We saw 3 or 4 and then that was it. Great site!

Ketchikan

2008-07-29T15:32:00.011-05:00

I think I would say that Ketchikan was my least favorite of all the places we went. Like the others it was a cute, small town, but it had a little less appeal and it was more expensive than the others I found. We really just spent the day walking around and shopping which was nice since the weather was great, but not really much to do there. We checked out the totem poles which were really interesting and then headed back to the boat.
If you ever visit, I heard the lumberjack show is cool. We just didn’t have enough time.

Coming to an End

2008-07-29T15:05:00.011-05:00

After Ketchikan we had one more stop on the way, Victoria British Columbia. We did some research on the city and were really excited to see Butchart Gardens, except we never made it. Due to high winds and a very narrow port, the captain thought it was too dangerous. We were pretty upset, but what can ya do? And unfortunately Princess was less than prepared for this, so our last night on the ship was a very quiet evening.
The four of us headed to the game room, grabbed Taboo, had some drinks and laughed our asses off! We were having a great time playing and laughing and then without even a last call, they closed the bar at 10pm. Seriously? On a cruise ship? I don’t even mean liquor-wise, we couldn’t even get soda in that area anymore! I thought that was pretty crappy. So we called it a night and headed back to pack up and end our terrific journey.
Sure, not everything went as planned on the cruise, but we never let it stop us from having a blast! We had a once in a lifetime experience and were able to travel with good friends. What more can you ask for? If you’re considering a cruise to Alaska, I would say don’t hesitate.

This concludes Jaimie & Frankie’s excellent adventure. Tune in next time when we travel to…?

Good Times

2008-07-18T09:23:00.003-05:00

Just a little highlight from the other night! That's Lori singing back-up....

Almost There!

2008-07-17T12:56:00.002-05:00

Vacation is so close I can feel it. I feel like we booked this trip forever ago and its finally here! Unfortunately, with everything else going on I haven't had too much time to go shopping so I have no idea what I'm going to pack. Plus, this is a super hard trip to pack for. I read so many different things on the weather in Alaska this time of year. Oh well, we'll just make due with what we bring.

Who Gives a Rats Ass?!

2008-07-10T10:53:00.003-05:00

OK, we all know that I live for celebrity gossip! Its just always been my thing. And I know my tolerance is at an all time low these days with everything going on, but is it me or is the A-Rod and Christie Brinkley divorce stories just completely out of control??? Its all I hear about these days! Seeing it in places like People and TMZ are totally understandable. But when these stories are headlining the news it just kills me! I mean with everything going on in the world today, this is whats deemed important? What is wrong with the world today?

Progress

2008-07-04T21:39:00.002-05:00

Dad is making great progress!!!!! Yesterday was kind of bad and I didn't take it well. I think I've been doing ok through all of this, but after seeing him struggle the way he did, I got home and lost it. God bless my mom because she talked me through it and really helped. I felt bad dumping all my emotion on her when I know how much she is hurting, but she had her breakdowns too and was strong at that moment thank god.
He ate for the first time in days today and did really good! The best news is that he walked a bit and he got moved to a different unit!!!!!! He's not in CTU anymore, he has a much more comfy bed and we get 8 hours of visiting time instead of the 3 half hours. He's also able to grab his own cup and spoon and drink and eat by himself...huge progress! We never thought he would come so far so fast. After seeing him looking so good tonight and being in such good spirits I think I might actually catch some sleep tonight.
There was a bit of bad news today, my dad's aunt died today. Not unexpected since she was old and sick for a long time, but still obviously very sad. I made the family promise though that they wouldn't tell dad. Terrible not to tell him, but I think its better to keep up his enthusiasm right now.

Miracles Do Exist

2008-07-02T22:46:00.003-05:00

Today was the hardest day of my life. Last week I left for a business trip to California. While out there, my dad was admitted to the hospital for heart problems. Everything was looking good and I was told there was no reason to come home. They were about to release him, when they did further tests to be sure, and they found several blocked arteries. When I landed last night at midnight my mom gave me the news that today dad would be having bypass surgery. Even though the stress tests came out good, they found the blockages after an angiogram (thank god they decided to go ahead with it!!!) Apparently all this time, his body found another way to flow the blood and oxygen to his heart but basically he could have dropped at any given time. So this morning mom and I headed over at about 7am to be with him and wait for the surgery. The doctors said that things were looking good because his heart was completely healthy and they wouldn't need to do anything with that...no damage, no heart disease...nothing. Even though this was all so hard to deal with, we were our typical family and laughed and helped make him feel at ease as best we could until they took him away. Then the waiting started. They told us it would be about 5-7 hours. The nurses came out every two hours to tell us it was all going smoothly, but of course we were wrecks. Anybody who knows me knows how close I am with my family and how much I adore my father. After a little over 5 hours, they came out and told us it all went beautifully. In the end it was quintuple bypass (5 arteries). They told us we could wait another hour and go in there to see him before we headed home. I was terrified to go in, but I know my dad and I know he's an ass kicker and that he would come out on top. And he did. Of course he was hooked up to machines and looking so vulnerable, but he looked so much better than I thought he would. The nurse told us that he might be able to understand if we talked to him, and although he was still in a deep state of sleep, we know that he heard us.
Leaving tonight was so hard and even though I only got two hours of sleep last night, I don't know if I'll really sleep much tonight either. I am counting the hours until we can go back in the morning and see him. As always, my mom is a trooper. My mom and dad are the most amazing couple in the world, after almost 40 years together, they are still like a lovesick teenage couple, even the nurses and doctors couldn't believe how sweet they were, so I can only imagine how hard this has been on my mom. But she is now at home and I think feels a little more at ease after seeing him looking like a rock star right after surgery. Its going to be a LONG road to recovery, but we'll be a family and get through it step by step, day by day. The hospital is giving us classes on how to help care for him and what we need to do to get him back on track.
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers, I know they helped. As me and mom sat in the waiting room, we can't believe how many people came to be by our side and who called to check-in. We are very lucky people to get through this. I'm so glad this day is over and I will be so happy to see him in the morning.

The Fast and the Furious

2008-06-22T16:19:00.002-05:00

Friday night I headed out to Raceway Park with the folks for some good old fashioned NHRA drag racing. I haven't been in about 10 years and besides the fact that it is more crowded than it used to be, everything was the same. There's nothing like walking in there and hearing the engines revving and smelling the fuel--completely unhealthy, but so awesome! And the way the NHRA and the drivers treat their fans is like no other. When you walk around in the pits from trailer to trailer, pretty much every driver is happy to sign autographs and take pictures. And the feeling that you get when you're in the stands and that funny car goes down the track at over 300mph is like no other.
Sadly, yesterdays qualifying round ended in tragedy when funny car driver Scott Kalitta's car caught on fire and he then crashed and died. He was a great driver and will be missed by racing fans. I'm glad I wasn't there to see that.

Spoiled

2008-06-18T14:25:00.002-05:00

OK, I admit it, I'm kind of spoiled. Last year when we did the Disney cruise with the family I was lucky enough to have a balcony courtesy of my parents. So when we booked the Alaska trip we wanted a balcony so badly, but the travel agent told us it was crazy to spend another $700 a piece just for that and that she would book us a room with a porthole and see if we maybe could get upgraded. Well today I got a phone call, and I couldn't believe my ears--we got it! A room with a balcony is all ours! I think I'm still in a bit of shock, but I am so incredibly excited. This is the trip of a lifetime and I am counting the days till we set sail. I still can't believe we're doing this, it seems very surreal.
I've always loved my travle agent and always trusted her advice, and god am I glad I did once again!

You say Ricatta...

2008-06-16T14:26:00.003-05:00

Many a times I have been out with friends who pronounce some Italian words a bit differently than I do and I often wondered if it was a Staten Island thing or not. I just recently came across this article and it made me laugh.

A Day Late

2008-06-03T14:52:00.003-05:00

Frankie and I are super excited about our vacation this July--a cruise to Alaska. We've heard amazing things and because we are able to go with friends we really love, we thought the timing was perfect. We always thought it would be something to do in our retirement, but since we pretty much act like we're an old couple now, why wait?!
My travel agent knows how terrified I am to fly, and since we booked it in January she has told me that we MUST do the helicopter tour while in Juneau. It took a long time for me to build up the courage and realize that chances are slim that something terrible would happen and two years from now I would be the subject of a Lifetime movie about a girl trapped in the wilderness and eaten by bears, but I finally got there. So yesterday I went online and decided to book, only to find I have been wait listed. So this is how I see it--if we get in, its meant to be, if not...oh well! I guess we'll have to wait and see.

As a side note...I wonder who would play me in a Lifetime movie?

UPDATE: Just got confirmation that we are no longer wait listed and are confirmed! Yikes!!!

Breaking Ground

2008-05-18T12:07:00.002-05:00

All my life I have always wanted a finished basement. Nothing fancy, just a simple place where everyone could hang out and something that could be used as a play area should there be children in our future. When we bought the house I said that would be one of the first things we would do. But it seemed like something that was so far away and might never happen.
Well today its happening. Frankie and my dad just returned from Home Depot and my basement is filled with sheetrock, studs and 2x4's and I am filled with excitement!

Why I Love My Friends

2008-05-15T15:44:00.003-05:00

Because when I am in a bad mood they send me things like this...

Thanks Sarah!

Kudos!

2008-05-12T11:12:00.003-05:00

I just have to throw out a huge congrats and best wishes to my good friend Trisha who just finished her last week of nursing school! I have never seen anybody study harder over the last few years and I am so happy for her and so incredibly proud! Trish--you've had so many hurdles to overcome the last few years, and this is going to be the big payoff! Such awesome news, you worked so hard for this!
And now comes the most exciting part--celebrating!!!

Just Peachy

2008-05-08T22:16:00.003-05:00

After a 2-hour delay today at the airport, I am happy to say that I am home from yet another business trip. Destination: Atlanta. I've been there once before and wasn't too impressed. This time was better. In between work, I had a visit to the aquarium and had a delightful time watching the seal lions get fed and have their teeth brushed--it was adorable! I was also able to catch a Braves' game with Susan (who is an excellent travel companion) and her brother-in-law and his friends who live out there. Even though I am a Mets fan, and felt like a big traitor, we had a good time. Nice weather and good, cold beers always make for a good time. The only think missing from the trip was that there was not a single peach to be found! One day at breakfast they tried to pass off some canned peaches in syrup, so not the same!
But now its back to reality. I came home to find our kitchen sink has a leak. How long has it been leaking? Not sure. All I know is there was a nice big puddle there for me and my counter top has bubbled up. And not that I'm blaming anybody for not noticing, but let's just say this didn't just happen....oh well. Thank god for my dad who is the family's own personal Schneider and can fix anything! Glad I picked him up a present while I was away.

Loving It

2008-05-01T15:24:00.002-05:00

Last night I finished Losing It, the Valerie Bertinelli book. Being a Van Halen fan I was so looking forward to reading it hoping to get some behind the scenes info on Eddie and the band and what really went on, and that's exactly what I got! Losing It is more like a biography on Eddie rather than her autobiography--and I loved every second of it! Don't get me wrong, there weren't really any big surprises. We all know that a metal band in the 80's = sex, drugs and rock 'n roll, but she did cut a little deeper into the surface. I also developed a new liking for her. Not that I didn't like her before (let's face it I like a good Lifetime movie as much as the next guy), but I just never really gave her much thought. Although I found her a bit annoying at times (if I hear the name Wolfie one more time I might scream), overall she seems pretty down to earth and never tried to sugar coat the mistakes she has made in her life which I found pretty admirable. All in all, a good read.

Macys

2008-04-30T20:30:00.003-05:00

Is it just me, or is Macy's the most frustrating place on earth!? Long ago my main issue with Macy's stemmed from the fact that the really awesome coupons they always sent out had a million and one exclusions and you really couldn't use them. Over the past two years that has no longer been an issue since my mom now knows an employee and we get the friends & family discount--and it rocks! The 20% off is really good on almost everything including my favorite Tommy Hilfiger jeans. But there's always something with that store. Like tonight when I waited patiently on the jewelry line. When it was finally my turn, the sales woman insisted that the woman in back of me was there first. Seriously? Where was she when the 2 people in front of me went? Oh that's right...she was anywhere but on the line! I should have argued, but I didn't have it in me and instead I very nicely said that I was there first, but it really wasn't worth the argument. I was rewarded with a pair of earrings that rang up for less than they should have been--even before my coupon. Take that bitch...

Cankles

2008-04-24T18:57:00.002-05:00

OK, so after being on the Prednisone for a few days, I am happy that I can breathe better (although today was a tough day for all allergy sufferers I think), but tonight I noticed something. Besides the fact that I've been sweaty and extra hungry and irritable from the steroids, I looked down and there they were...cankles! That's right folks, the pills have made me swell so much that one can't tell where my calf stops and foot begins. I know they will go down and its not the end of the world, but its still so depressing!

Allergies Suck

2008-04-21T19:59:00.004-05:00

There is nothing fun about allergies, especially this season. For the past week and a half I have been suffering...big time. Usually I get the headaches, runny nose, itchy eyes, that sort of thing. But this time its bad. I can't breathe and I spend too many times during the day and night gasping for air. Frankie actually stayed up pretty much all last night just to make sure I was alive. Poor thing. Normally I would be up all night, but the medicine knocks me flat on my ass...which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
When this first started to get really bad (last Friday) I got a shot of Prednisone, 2 inhalers, Allegra and Singulair. Today it was at its worst. And after feeling like I was going to pass out from not getting air on the bus, I had enough and talked to the doctor again. I'm now on Prednisone for the next week and this sucks. I HATE being on this crap. So in the next week I should be moody, nervous, hungry and sweaty from the side effects...I guess really not much will change. But seriously, this better work!

If Loving Them Is Wrong I Don't Want to be Right

2008-04-17T08:37:00.002-05:00

While listening to the 80's station on the way up to Albany this weekend, I heard Kool & The Gang's Misled, and I haven't been able to get it out of my head since! So naturally I headed over to itunes to download it. Except when I found it on their greatest hits album, I realized there were some other songs that as corny as they are, are kind of awesome. So I couldn't help myself and I downloaded almost every song.
Am I totally un-kool for admitting this?

Buble, Buble, Buble

2008-04-14T11:08:00.002-05:00

Headed up to Albany this weekend to catch a Michael Buble concert. Unfortunately, it was sort of the closest place he is playing right now, and I was doubtful about trekking up there to see him, but it was totally worth it! My mom got me into him some time ago, and my love for him has turned into an addiction for the past year or so. But seeing him live was better than I ever imagined. His talent just completely blows me away, its like listening to his CD. His singing is flawless. And he's entertaining! He had many moments where he joked with the audience and his band members and he was hysterical! Completely nutty! At the same time, he also sincerely thanked the audience for coming out and paying so much money for a ticket while the economy was so bad, he was so humble and gracious.
If you ever have the chance to see him live, go for it. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Where's Waldo?

2008-04-04T08:58:00.002-05:00

That's pretty much what I feel like these days. Last week I was in Minneapolis for work. Tomorrow I board a plane to Tucson for work. And there are more trips to come-- Atlanta and Anaheim with a very small chance of Los Angeles as well. How I long for July when getting on a plane means vacation.

Deep Breaths

2008-03-16T11:31:00.002-05:00

While I'm trying to be calm and remember today is a holy day, I can't help but be pissed off at the stupid people who keep blocking my driveway to go to church, which is across the street. Do they not see the no parking sign? Do they not see um...the driveway with the cars in there? Oh no wait, I forgot, they just don't care.
One lady came way after mass started and Frankie just so happened to be outside when she left mass 25 minutes early. When he said to her, "you know you're in my driveway right?". She had the nerve to say, "Oh, I was praising my lord!". No lady, you just went to get palms. And chances are you haven't been to church since maybe Christmas, but I'll bet it was last Palm Sunday. See that's what gets me, its not the regulars who do things like this, the regular church goers in this neighborhood have respect. It took everything in my good natured Catholic power not to go out there and clock this woman. This is why I went to church yesterday, can't deal with the ones who show up once or twice a year.
After she left, another car (a monster truck) pulled right in the spot--I kid you not! Frankie was still outside and told him nicely he was blocking a driveway. His response, "don't aggravate yourself buddy". Grrr..........
I am now on my way to Bed, Bath and Beyond to get out of the house and not see what goes on at 1pm mass. I think its better that way.

Pretty in Purple

2008-03-03T14:31:00.004-05:00

After only five short months of owning a Motorola KRZR, I gave up. Missed phone calls, texts messages that didn't come through, voice mails that would come through days later (if at all), and a battery that died after one five minute phone call.

So I decided it was time to go back to a Samsung and got myself the new Gleam in purple. It rocks!

Note to self: never buy a Motorola again.

409 Bottles of Beer on the Wall

2008-02-27T15:00:00.007-05:00

So last weekend was the big weekend for me and the cousins'. We cashed in our Christmas gift (a house in the Poconos for the weekend) and it was awesome. There was snowmobiling, games on the Wii, hot tubbin', talking and laughing, dancing, card playing...and oh yeah, lots of drinking!

The final tally for 13 people for 2 nights was (and no I am not exaggerating):

409 assorted bottles and cans of beer

1 bottle of Absolut

1/2 bottle of Makers Mark

6 bottles of white wine to make Sangria (which also include Peach Schnapps)

and whatever Michael used to make his Manhattan's with

That's just wrong!!! And somehow there wasn't even a single hangover, but days later I am still exhausted! But it was all in good fun!

Bring it on!

2008-02-22T09:34:00.000-05:00

Neither rain nor hail nor sleet nor snow nor heat of day nor dark of night shall keep us from cousins' weekend!

Horrific

2008-02-20T21:30:00.002-05:00

I just got back from seeing Jumper with Rachel. We want our money back, along with the 90 minutes we lost of our lives.

All Kinds of Awesome

2008-02-18T10:25:00.003-05:00

The new Knight Rider last night was so cool! First of all, I can't believe its been 25 years since the Hoff was driving around in a talking Trans Am looking all cool and Hoff-like, but this new car kicked ass! Watching KITT disguise itself was just way too cool! I was also pleasantly surprised that I liked the new Michael, I'm usually not a big fan of remakes--for example Miami Vice was just too frightening for words! The only thing that made me a little sad was to know that Val Kilmer's career is at the point where he is playing the role of a talking car--yikes!

Not So Bad

2008-02-15T12:24:00.002-05:00

I don't like Valentine's Day. I never have. Basically, its just a day where florists jack up the price of flowers, restaurants jack up the price of food and loved ones are supposed to be extra nice to you. Maybe we should all just try to be nice every day?
But this year was a little different. Since today is our one year mark to closing on the house (where does the time go?) and Frankie and I haven't went out on a Valentine's Day ever--12 years to be exact--he decided to take off from work and take me out to dinner, and it was sweet and thoughtful. What made it really nice was that we weren't surrounded by other couples being all mushy. It was tables full of families, tables full of friends, and next to us a mother having a nice dinner with her son who was about 9. The restaurant was full of laughter and happy people. It was really sweet and gave me a different perspective on what is usually a day I dread. Don't get me wrong I won't be walking around next year with a red turtleneck and a heart pin on my jacket, but it might be something nice to do say every 12 years or so. After dinner we headed over to Kenny and Maria's to crack open a bottle of champagne to celebrate the day and our one year anniversary of us being neighbors. All in all, a lovely day.

Boo Hoo Brady

2008-02-03T22:36:00.000-05:00

I guess you're not so perfect after all....

My Kind of Town

2008-01-28T13:34:00.000-05:00

Just returned from a business trip in San Diego. This was my third visit to the area and this time we stayed in Mission Beach. Even though the flight is a dreaded six hours, I always forget how much I love San Diego until I get there. On Friday I was lucky enough to have a few hours free which left me lots of time to take a walk to the beach which was about a mile away. It was awesome, very picturesque and postcard like. Palm trees, surfers, big waves and good looking people all around. It was like a scene out of 90210, and even though I didn't fit in, I could totally picture myself living there one day. Its truly an awesome city.
We had lots of dinners and parties to attend while out there, including one that had karaoke...yes that's right, karaoke. And yes, I sang...not alone though, it was a group effort, quartet to be exact, which included my sister in law. We looked like fools but we had a great time!
And on the last day we decided to hit Worlds Best in Pacific Beach for breakfast. This place is amazing! Big breakfast (with champagne) and right on the beach. An awesome way to end the trip!

UPDATE: someone managed to capture the madness

The Good, The Bad, and The Bizarro

2008-01-09T12:23:00.000-05:00

Good...
As much as I hate to travel for work, I'm going to Philly this weekend, which means no flying involved! And we're staying at the Westin--those who have been know the Heavenly Bed is to die for!

Bad...
I bought a super-cute pair of shoes two months ago but haven't had a chance to wear them yet. I went to put them on today and the box contained two left feet.

Bizarro...
I can't get the Hannah Montana "Best of Both Worlds" theme song out of my head. WTF?

Superstar!

2008-01-09T12:20:00.001-05:00

Yay Rachel got a much deserved promotion to Associate Director of PR today! And its her birthday! Rock on K*mp-star!

A New Year

2008-01-03T20:32:00.000-05:00

Happy new year all! Hope the holidays were good to everybody! I know despite some minor set backs, mine were fantastic! I had family over for Christmas Eve for our first Christmas in our new home (yes, I even did a little cooking), I relaxed a bit, caught up on some household stuff, and had a wonderful lunch with some of my oldest and dearest friends from grammar school.
2007 was a great year and something tells me '08 will be even better--I too prefer even numbers Rachel! I'm looking forward to making lots of new memories with friends.
New years resolution? I usually don't do them since they get broken way to early, but this year I decided that my resolution would be to enjoy life more. I want to stop worrying and focusing on things that I can't control and start living life! I spend way too much time dwelling on stupid things--and I'm done. So here's to good times in 2008!

Bitter Sweet

2007-12-13T18:52:00.001-05:00

I've been meaning to blog about this for a while, but let's just say that there aren't enough hours in the day and this one could take a while.
Earlier in the year some of you might remember I was very sick. I was dealing with a horrible stomach illness and wasn't quite sure what was going on. With a history of the horrible Crohn's Disease in my family, I decided I really needed to get checked.
I went through horrible tests-- colonoscopy, MRIs that required me to drink gross liquid solutions, CAT Scans that also required me to drink horrible liquids and many days of having to take off from work to visit the doctor, get poked with needles or just lay in bed with horrible pain among other things. Some of you might be wondering why I'd be writing all this, but I know many people who have went through this and somehow (like it or not) over time it becomes normal to talk about it without reservations.
After what seemed like forever all my tests results were back, and although I should have been happy that they were normal and nothing was wrong with me--I was miserable. Something was seriously wrong! The doctor thought it was maybe stress since we all know I am slightly high strung on a daily basis. But I knew there had to be more to it. How is it possible that after months of monitoring my eating and exercise patterns that every food I put in my mouth could bother me. Not just dairy, not raw foods--everything! The doctor decided she wanted to run more tests but I had enough of being a lab rat for the time being, so I decided to take a break and hopefully something would change.
Then October rolled around and I went on vacation. It was lovely and I wasn't sick for a second of the trip. So I convinced myself it must be stress and that maybe it was work getting to me.
Then one day it dawned on me. When on vacation, anything goes...fast food, junk food and here's the kicker...regular soda. No diet coke, no crystal light packets and no diet Snapple's. I finally figured it out, this whole time ASPARTAME was ripping me apart. Although I was monitoring my food for so long, it never occurred to me that what I was drinking was making me sick.
After thinking this through I did some research and found that Aspartame could affect you physically, psychologically, and neurologically. I cannot get over some of the articles I read and how hard it hit me, what I was doing to my body all to save a few calories here and there. This article in particular made me see the light. Of course (thank God) I don't have all the symptoms listed there, but since I figured this out in October:
1. My stomach is 99% better. I can actually eat food, and then go out! There's no more severe cramping every time I eat and I can enjoy almost all of the foods I was thinking were the culprits.
2. My vision is better. My contacts were getting a sticky film on them all the time and getting very dry. I switched to glasses for a long time and blamed the problem on allergies.
3. My headaches are gone! After really thinking about the past year or so, it dawned on me that I was taking at least 2 aspirin a day!!! I also blamed this on allergies.
4. Mood swings have improved. Of course I'm still irritable from time to time like everyone else, but nothing close to what I was feeling for so long. I've been much happier!
5. I'm sleeping better. I was spending nights in bed just tossing and turning, literally staring at the clock all night until it was time to go to work.
6. My clothes fit better. I haven't lost weight but I must have been bloated.
7. My Epstein-Barr is not kicking in and I have more energy!

I could go on and on, but these are the most notable differences. If it didn't happen to me, I would never believe that all this could occur from drinking diet stuff--but it did!
Not sure if anyone out there is going through anything similar but after putting all this together a few friends stopped drinking it and noticed they feel differences too. I wish it was something I had realized sooner to save myself alot of time, energy, and pain, but I'm here now and I can go back to living my life. So if you're a diet soda drinker, keep this in mind...

Old School Elmo

2007-11-20T15:41:00.000-05:00

This article cracked me up!

Back in the Day

2007-11-19T19:11:00.000-05:00

Remember being a kid and holidays were actually fun? What happened to that? Thanksgiving used to mean parades, turkeys and getting together with family and having a good time! Now its all about it being an obligation rather than something you want to do. I couldn't understand when people would spend holidays with friends rather than family--the idea was crazy to me! Now I can't tell if my family has changed over the years, or was it always this way and I was just delusional? Either way I long to be 8 again before i knew what tension was.

Catching Up

2007-11-18T15:13:00.000-05:00

Hi there...its been a while. The past few weeks have been crazy and I have left my poor blog unattended.

Since I've been gone, I hit the big 3-0! That's right I'm 30 folks. Its crazy. I normally hate my birthday but this year I was excited. Thirty seemed like a great number, a new decade in my life and I was ready to embrace it, except the only thing I embraced that day was porcelain. That's right I got a killer stomach virus that knocked me on my ass for three days.

Two days before my birthday Frankie threw me an awesome surprise party with my friends and family, it was great! The next day I took it easy, went to mom and dad's for leftovers, came home and around 10:30 on the eve of my birthday it all started. I had every hope of still going to work the next day. My parents were going to meet me for lunch in the city and at home that night I would have my usual ice cream cake for my birthday. None of that happened. Instead I ate nothing and didn't move off the couch for three days. It felt more like I was turning 100.

I still want that ice cream cake though...

Arresting

2007-11-02T08:34:00.000-05:00

Caught The Police the other night at The Garden with some comped tickets that me and Sarah scored from an account (free--even better!). The show was incredible! I go to alot of concerts and I have seen some great acts put on some great shows, but this was out of this world! I've never been a die hard Police fan, I like them but its nothing like my obsession for Bon Jovi or anything, but they kicked some serious ass! Sting rocked some tight spandex for his Halloween costume and he looked better than ever! And he sounded amazing! If you ever get the chance to see them when they come around, I highly recommend it. They played all the great, classic songs and even if you think you don't know much of their stuff, you'll be pleasantly surprised when you find yourself singing along to every song. Its one you won't want to miss!

Weekend Review #2

2007-10-29T09:55:00.000-05:00

A Bronx Tale on Broadway

Frankie and I decided to go for our anniversary thinking we loved the movie, why not? Chazz Palminteri was the star and we were very excited.
I believe it was Lori who asked me, "Isn't it a one-man show?", I didn't think it was...well, Lori, you are correct!
After 10 minutes of Chazz introducing characters and talking as if he were C, not Sonny, it dawned on me...oh shit, this is it. I though Frankie was going to kill me. But, as time went on we watched the moves Chazz made and we listened to how his voice changed when acting out each character, and we realized how truly awesome he was and how much talent it took to do that performance. He went through every scene in the movie and didn't miss a thing.
I highly recommend seeing it if you get the chance, but hurry its only on for another month or so!

Weekend Review #1

2007-10-29T09:42:00.000-05:00

Bon Jovi, Friday Night, Prudential Center.

The Good:
- Its Bon Jovi, and they rock! It doesn't matter that I have seen them an insane amount of times and that I know You Give Love a Bad Name will be the second song, or that I know Jon's last outfit will consist of that sleeveless shirt, or that I know every dance move that he will do...I love every second of it!
- The way they opened the show. It was different, subdued and awesome.
- Even while promoting the new album Lost Highway, they still did all the old stuff, they never seem to forget their roots.

The Bad:
- Prudential Center. Beautiful stadium, awful for a concert. Bad, bad acoustics, and it was very bright in there, I never had that I'm at a concert type feeling. Being in that stadium took something away from being at a Bon Jovi show. I'm hoping they are just working out the kinks of a new stadium and when I go 11/9 that it will be better.
- The opening act, My Chemical Romance. Maybe I'm just getting old, but it seemed like alot of noise. And they cursed alot, which you don't often hear at a Bon Jovi Show. I really wish I had tickets when Daughtry or Big and Rich were opening.

The Ugly:
- Jon handing the mic to Richie "Rehab" Sambora to sing the line "Sometimes you tell the day by the bottle that you drink..." from Wanted Dead or Alive. Yikes!

Busy Bee

2007-10-24T11:10:00.000-05:00

Why am I so busy lately? I know I always have a million things to do and a million places to be, but I feel like the next few weeks are going to be really nuts! Don't get me wrong, most are fun things like 2 Bon Jovi concerts (just bought tickets today to go with Terry--Yay!), a Van Halen concert, The Police concert and a Ranger game. Thank God I went to the doctor the other day to get my yearly vitamin B shot. I think I'm gonna need that and a case of Red Bull.

The Wonder of it All

2007-10-17T19:38:00.000-05:00

Returned on Sunday from our annual Disney vacation, this time with an added bonus...a 3-night cruise on Disney Cruise Lines on the Disney Wonder. In word...awesome! It had everything you could ever want or imagine. If you have kids I highly recommend it, if you don't have kids I highly recommend it. I know alot of people probably think Disney and that this is a vacation for the kiddies...wrong! There were adult only restaurants, nightclubs, activities and an adult only beach on their private island Castaway Cay. The food was upscale and the drinks were strong.

Parents can even drop off their kids in a gigantic, highly secure playroom with trained counselors who do activities with the kids all day long--the kids love it as much, if not more, than the adults do. I know my nephew did!

We had pretty shitty weather but we were still able to enjoy all the activities they had to offer that we had time for. And of you go, make sure you don't miss the Pirate party and fireworks on the top deck (Jaimie's Disney Cruise Tip #1: Go on the 10th floor for that, not the 9th. You can still take part in the fun but miss the crowds). Oh, and don't forget to hit 80's night where they had a Jon Bon Jovi impersonator...I know, what are the chances right?!

Here's a Moron For Ya

2007-10-04T08:47:00.001-05:00

Is the woman in this article for real? The dog was attacking her children and she's mad at the cops for shooting the dog! I think my favorite line is "The dog never went after anybody"...um yeah he did...your kids! What are people thinking sometimes?

Bon Voyage

2007-09-28T22:57:00.000-05:00

Only one week till my Disney vacation and cruise.
10 days with no work!!! God that is gonna feel so good!

Happy 30th Trisha!

2007-09-21T14:38:00.000-05:00

Yay today is Trisha's 30th birthday! It feels like only yesterday that the two of us were sneaking in her bedroom window and drinking 40s of St. Ides when we should have been sleeping...except it was 15 years ago!
And no mom, this is not the night you are thinking of. We really were at Giana's that night. I can even tell you what movie we watched (Seven).

Set the DVR

2007-09-21T14:37:00.000-05:00

Jon Bon Jovi is going to host Saturday Night Live on October 13th. That makes me happy...

The List

2007-08-30T12:43:00.000-05:00

Ok, I think for the most part we have all seen the Friends episode with "the list"--you know, the top 5 celebrities you're allowed to sleep with. Last week someone I know met one of her top 5. She of course didn't, but it made me wonder...who's on my list?
1. Jon Bon Jovi
2. Michael Buble
3. Ed Burns
4.
5.

I can honestly say I don't know who stands in the #4 and #5 spot. So therefore, it is not laminated.

Who's in your top 5?

Cousins' Night 2007

2007-08-26T12:04:00.000-05:00

What do you get when you mix 15 cousins, copious amounts of alcohol, laughter and some kick-ass gnocchi? Cousins' Night 2007! Two years ago the aunts and uncles decided that instead of spending money on gifts for all of us for Christmas, they would rather pay for us to have a night out. This year we went to Rustico Cooking School where we made a meal of Risotto with Red Wine, Rosemary, & Goat Cheese, Chicken Morsels in Wild Mushroom-Cream Sauce, Chive-Scented Ricotta Gnocchi in Aromatic Herb Butter, Slow-Roasted Savoy Cabbage with Bacon & Garlic, and Tiramisu. And let me tell you--it was delicious! I know...me, cooking...crazy right? We all did a little bit of everything, we were able to switch stations whenever we wanted to, and then at the end we sat down and had a tasty meal full of great conversation and laughter (oh, and wine of course). I highly recommend taking a class at this place with some friends or a significant other--you'll have a blast.

After dinner we all headed to Faces and Names where we continued our drink fest until it was time to say goodbye and hop in the super-awesome black Hummer Michael arranged for us to take home (with a stop at Ray's Pizza on the way home and the deli where Terry picked up another 6 pack of Stella). Can't wait to see what this year's Christmas gift is!

Note to Self

2007-08-17T08:30:00.000-05:00

Visit the Hamptons more often...

EOnline: Jon Bon Jovi & Jesse: Sorry, kid, we know the guy's your dad and you're just chilling in East Hampton, but the older he gets the hotter he gets.

Panama!

2007-08-13T14:02:00.000-05:00

Just watched the official press conference on VH1 Classic to announce that Van Halen is back! Words cannot describe the excitement. Eddie is looking a thousand times better than he has the last few times I've seen him, and the same goes for Diamond Dave! All were on good behavior and there was a good energy between them...I'm lovin' it! With the addition of a little fresh blood--Eddie's son Wolfgang--I can't wait to see what they crank out!

Tickets go on sale soon for the following shows!
Sat 11.03 E. Rutherford, NJ Continental Airlines Arena
Tue 11.13 New York, NY Madison Square Garden

Rehab

2007-08-13T11:53:00.000-05:00

Saturday night was a cousins' party at my house. In addition to 10 cousins coming over, we had about 9 other people stop in and out (plus our friends brought their 4-day old baby, Jack--I love him!). Knowing how me and the cousins can knock 'em back, Frankie kept a tally of what we drank:

88 bottles of beer (an assortment of Corona, Corona Lite, Heineken, Heineken Light, Miller Light)
12 Mike's Hard Lemonades
Approx. 8 pitchers of peach sangria which consisted of many, many bottles Pino Grigio and a big bottle of Peach Schnapps among other mixers
There was an open bottle of Kettle One so someone cracked that open
And at the end of the night a jug of red sangria was opened

And somehow we were all standing. It was great though. Two rounds of food including hamburgers, hot dogs, marinated steaks, 2 kinds of chicken, mac and cheese, sausage, brats, salads, knishes and then desserts, good drinks, good conversation and endless rounds of cornhole--which is now my new favorite game! The first guest came at 2 and the last guests left at 3am...I guess we throw a kick ass party!!!

Rachel--next party is an all nighter of Guitar Hero!

All Good Things Must Come to an End

2007-08-11T12:25:00.000-05:00

Got the word last night that Culture Club is most likely dunzo. A new owner bought the building and they are out of there September 8th. There's a chance that they could reopen in a new location, but it will never be the same. Oh well, its the end of an era, but its time.

P.S. Look for an email this week with details on a going away party...

Tips for a Happy Commute

2007-07-24T20:54:00.000-05:00

For my fellow Staten Island express bus riders...

1. Have a metrocard with money on it. Don't walk on the bus with a $5 bill asking people to borrow theirs. I don't want to have to go to the subway to fill my card either, but I do.
2. Put your cell phone on vibrate. Nobody wants to hear Party Like a Rockstar, Lip Gloss or The Way I Are blasting from a phone in the morning--or evening for that matter.
3. While on the bus, refrain from using your cell phone. Calls such as "I'm running a few minutes late" or "I'm stopping for breakfast, can I get you something?" are completely acceptable. Calls to Jennifer* to talk about how fat Michelle* looked Saturday night, and then calling Michelle* to say I can't believe how drunk Jennifer* was Saturday night, are not acceptable. The whole bus does not need to hear your conversation. Besides, chances are they will call each other when you hang up with them so they can talk about what a bitch you are. Save yourself the embarrassment.
*Names have been changed to protect the innocent.
4. Refrain from bringing any kind of smelly food on the bus.
5. Don't pretend that you don't speak English when someone asks if you can move your stuff so they can sit there. Yeblan! That means "fucker" in Russian, I'll bet you understand that.
6. If you tend to drool, spread your legs from one end of the bus to the other, or lean on the person next to you when you fall asleep, stay awake!
7. When people start to get off at their stops and you are sitting on a half empty bus, move to an empty row. There is no longer a need for us to snuggle. I don't know and you don't know me.
8. If you're in an aisle seat and you're sticking your foot out, don't be annoyed when people step on it. Jackass...
9. Its rush hour. In New York City. Don't sit there and curse when you're stuck in traffic. Is it really a big fuckin' surprise?
10. And please, please please....I beg of you, wear deodorant!

Meet Virginia

2007-07-17T12:29:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow night Grace and Liz leave for a most excellent 10-day trip to Hong Kong!

We figured while they were gone it would be fun for the family to take little Robert somewhere for a few days. After much trial and tribulation, we decided on Virginia Beach. We've never been and we figured why not. And today I scored us an awesome room--a suite with a kitchen and ocean-view private balcony. Plus the hotel has an indoor pool in case it rains, and a completely kick-ass outdoor pool that I might never leave. Its going to be three days with no email and no distractions. I can't wait.

How You Doin?

2007-07-08T09:50:00.000-05:00

For the last few days, Silvia has been trying to tell me how funny Norbit is. I wasn't too sure that I would like it. So after some dinner and sangria we decided to watch it with her and Steve--its hilarious! Of course its stupid humor, but it will have you laughing! And if it doesn't, well you're just no fun!

The End of An Era

2007-06-29T22:54:00.000-05:00

It's 11:45 and my dad just dropped me off, on his way to work for the last time! That's right, as of tomorrow morning at 8am my dad will be officially retired. He always joked around about it, but I honestly never thought I would see the day. Even when he put in his papers a few weeks ago, I thought he would change his mind, but he didn't. As sad as it is to leave the place you have probably spent more time in than your own home for 30 years, its a GOOD thing (Dad, I put the good in caps because I know Mom will read this to you and hopefully she will emphasize the "good" for reassurance). Lord knows I wouldn't look back!
But just think...imagine never having to go to work again and getting paid the same amount! Never having to worry about when to take vacation, because you'll always have the days off! Sleeping in on rainy days! Picking up your old candy apple red Fender Stratocaster and having the time to play it again, or putting up crown moulding in your daughter's living room (hint, hint)! Hmmm, how long before I can retire?

Sick of Being Sick

2007-06-18T16:43:00.000-05:00

Being sick sucks! Especially this week. Not only because I have to travel for work this weekend, but tomorrow I have been looking forward to going to see Bon Jovi at Rockefeller Center for a long time now--and its just not gonna happen. Cue the sad face...

Oh Happy Day!

2007-06-15T09:34:00.000-05:00

One, my dad found my keys. Turns out I did leave them on the bus in the morning. But dad found them when he went into work last night (what will I do when he retires from the MTA?)
Two, I got my Bon Jovi tickets for October!!!! Woo hoo!!!!
An excellent way to kick off the weekend!

Nuts!

2007-06-14T21:01:00.000-05:00

Anybody who knows me knows that I am that annoying OCD type who checks everything twice and makes lists to remember to check the lists I've made to make sure everything is in order. When your as anal as I am, losing your mind sucks, and I've lost it big time.
It started out with little things that I would forget at work...forgetting to put in PRFs and ARFs for upcoming jobs and then even when I put in the forms, I would forget I did it. Now I'm suffering from CRS (can't remember shit) big time. Last week I went to a friend's house upstate and totally went the wrong way. I knew I was going the wrong way, yet I was following mapquest directions and ignored my gut instinct (which I never do). And then when it came time to leave his house, I went the wrong way again!
Tonight, I lost my car and house keys. I think I might have left them on the bus this morning, but who knows! The last time I thought I lost my keys (at Home Depot) they were IN MY HAND as I frantically searched through my bag in the parking lot while Frankie stared at me blankly thinking is she serious? After picking up a spare key at my parents' I came home and dumped out my bag with no keys to be found. Now anybody who knows me knows how stressed something like this can make me.
Is it because work is busy and I have another big show coming up? Is it because I haven't been feeling well? I don't know! And even if I did know, I probably wouldn't remember! Honestly, I don't even know if what I'm writing right now makes sense. I've gone over the edge, big time.
I think I need a vacation.

More Than Meets the Dump

2007-06-09T10:39:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I received my morning Daily Candy email with a story about someone who started an ice cream company called 5 Boroughs Ice Cream. I didn't have time to read it, so I saved it for later. On the way home Liz, who also got the email, had mentioned it to me. Turns out she knows the guy who owns the company and mentioned to me that the idiot had named the Staten Island flavor "Landfill". She immediately told him what I think all Staten Islanders feel--1. its offensive and 2. there's much more to Staten Island than the dump. So she told him he needs to change that name...maybe run a contest to have it changed! The result is this article. Kind of hilarious.
But I disagree with a complete boycott (a little dramatic don't ya think?).
I say Staten Islanders, lets get the name changed! Go to their website and send in a submission for a different name and let's show those ignorant morons what we're really about.
I sent in mine already...

Best Headline Ever

2007-06-03T11:33:00.001-05:00

METS BUILD A DYNASTY WHILE YANKEES DESTROY AN EMPIRE

Don't shoot the messenger...

Blame Canada

2007-05-18T18:26:00.000-05:00

After a long exhausting trip featuring a VERY drunk night, a cancelled flight and a road trip across the border, I can say:

Why Canada rocks:
1. Drinking with Chris, Rachel and Liz
2. $2 tickets to a Blue Jay's game
3. Watching three people dressed as peppers try to run across a finish line between innings of the game while knocking each other down
4. Canadian beer has a higher alcohol content
5. Toby's where they allow youngsters (refer to Rachel's blog for that story)
6. Cabs take credit cards (very handy when traveling for work)
7. The heavenly bed and shower with two shower heads at the Westin by the airport

Why Canada sucks:
1. Paying for something with American money and getting back handfuls of Canadian coins rather than paper bills since they don't make $1 bills
2. Canadian beer has a higher alcohol content
3. Burgandy's where they do not allow youngsters
4. Cancelled flights
5. The airport having several international terminals spread far apart (Poor Rachel)
6. Thinking that its no biggie that the flight was cancelled, I can drive home, then realizing its another country and you need to find an international rental
7. Everyone finishing their sentences with "Eh"

In the words of Borat...I love U S and A!

The Old Hood

2007-05-12T09:42:00.000-05:00

I love living in my new neighborhood...well technically its my old neighborhood since its where I grew up. Got a call from Trisha at about 8 last night to say she was celebrating completing her nursing school final yesterday and was at the bar down the block having a few beers. First of all, I forgot there was even a bar down the block (Note to self: Take advantage of KJ's $1.50 happy hour bottles more often), but I figured I'll go for one or two, why not? Walk over there, the place is dead we're all bullshitting and drinking. Little by little the place starts to get packed and EVERY face looks familiar as if the neighborhood never changed. I thought to myself, does it just happen to be that everybody from around here happened to come out tonight? Or do these people still come here every night like we never grew up? Then a big group of people walk in the place and suddenly I hear, "hey didn't you used to babysit me?" I thought oh god, oh god, don't let it be me...it was. Its frightening to know that kids you used to babysit for are old enough to be out drinking with you. Or am I too old to be out drinking?

Oh, and the one or two beers at 8pm? Yup, you guessed it, it turned into one too many. Stumbled home at 3am...but had a kick ass time!

My American Idol

2007-05-01T13:58:00.000-05:00

As much as I don't love American Idol, tonight is not one to miss for me. Jon Bon Jovi will be mentoring the contestants and they will be performing Bon Jovi songs. Thank God that idiot Sanjaya is gone...I wouldn't have the heart to hear him most likely butcher a musical masterpiece! I can't wait to see what songs they pick.

At Last...

2007-05-01T13:56:00.000-05:00

Went to Kelly and Joey's last night and finally got to meet baby Shannon. She's even more precious than I thought she would be. She's so tiny and has these adorable feet and skinny little chicken legs. And she had that amazing newborn smell...I was totally smitten!

Hooray!

2007-04-20T08:33:00.000-05:00

Shannon Fiona was born at 6:59 this morning. She's is 7lbs. 9oz., 20in. long, and I heard she has a little light peach fuzz rather than a full head of black hair (that surprised us all). I spoke to both Kelly and Joey at around 8 am this morning and Kelly sounded so good which made me happy. Now I have to patiently sit at work all day until I can go see them tonight.
Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock...

Almost Here!

2007-04-19T22:15:00.000-05:00

Today at 4:45 my phone rang at the office, I didn't answer since I was about to head out to the DK softball game. Immediately after, my cell rang and I saw it was Kelly's home number so of course I answered. And then it dawned on me, she must be in labor! Sure enough she was on her way to the hospital because they were inducing her. The weird part? I told Frankie last night that the baby would be born on her due date. Her due date is tomorrow...so there's a good chance I was right (call me Miss Cleo and give me a hotline!). I was told by the mommy to be to not come to the hospital yet as it was too early and she didn't want me to sit around twiddling my thumbs. So I listened, and now I sit by the phone eagerly awaiting a call. I'm excited. And I'm nervous--I'm sure it will all be fine, but Kelly is more than my best friend of 20+ years, she's practically my sister and its just a natural reaction. So here's to waiting for what hopefully won't be too long. And most likely tomorrow, I will go see my new beautiful niece who I'm sure will have a full head of black hair like her daddy.

Grrrrrrr

2007-04-17T09:52:00.000-05:00

I am angry and hostile today and its not even 11am. People are morons and its irritating.

Things that might help me calm down:
Deep breaths? Doubtful.
Taking a walk? Nope
Finding a new job? DING DING DING! We have a winner!

Why I Love My Friends

2007-04-11T14:05:00.000-05:00

After many attempts to snag tickets to a concert Jon Bon Jovi was having for a book event, I finally got them. Obviously, I was excited. Soon after, I found out he had to cancel the show. A press release was issued soon after and this is what it read:

Bon Jovi Cancels
The Bon Jovi book BELIEVE has been postponed, and Jon Bon Jovi has cancelled his planned Saturday night benefit concert at BEA. Show officials made the announcement "with enormous regret and deepest apologies to all BEA attendees." Refunds will be processed automatically for those who already purchased tickets.

Soon after reading that, I received an email from my friend Gina saying that this is what it should have read:
Bon Jovi Cancels
The Bon Jovi book BELIEVE has been postponed, and Jon Bon Jovi has cancelled his planned Saturday night benefit concert at BEA. According to Mr. Bon Jovi's publicist, he was "distraught over the fact his #1 fan, Jaimie of Staten Island, could not get a ticket to the show." Show officials made the announcement "with enormous regret and deepest apologies to Jaimie." Refunds will be processed automatically for those who already purchased tickets. And a huge bouquet of roses was expected to arrive to Jaimie later today from Bon Jovi himself.

Silly Gina...

Coffee Guy's Life Lesson #62

2007-04-03T08:33:00.000-05:00

After being away and coming back to work completely exhausted, I looked forward to my usual daily cup of coffee from the coffee guy outside my building. Yet again, I got a splash of wisdom with my coffee...
"Sometimes we lose things on the weekend. We may gamble and lose money or drink and party too much and lose a piece of our soul. We think what we do on the weekends is relaxing, but it often makes us more tired."
OK, seriously WTF? Is this guy Jesus or something? It's like he knows everything I do...

You Want to Make a Memory

2007-03-25T14:48:00.000-05:00

There I was yesterday on my merry little way to the eye doctor listening to the radio when a new song came on. Needless to say it didn't take me long to recognize that sweet sound...it was my Jonny and the boys. I knew the new album was coming out in June but I didn't think the first single would be out so soon. I have to say the song doesn't immediately jump out as being their usual style, but I love it! Totally made my whole weekend.

Way to Go A-Hole!

2007-03-12T12:29:00.001-05:00

Only in Staten Island will you find a sign like this...

I'm glad my tax dollars are being spent wisely.

Fairy Godmother

2007-02-27T17:19:00.000-05:00

I just found out today that I am going to be a Godmother again! Its to Kelly and Joey's little angel Shannon who is due to arrive on April 20th. Words cannot express my excitement!

Getting Organized

2007-02-21T11:05:00.000-05:00

Rachel and Chuck gave me and Frankie a kick ass gift for the house yesterday! Anybody who knows me knows that I love things in my home to be neat and organized, sometimes to the point of being completely...well I guess anal would be a good word. So when Rachel gave me this Home Maintenance Binder yesterday I was so excited! It has everything in it--a calendar for each season (up until like 2011) so I can keep track of my big Spring cleanings, a tool glossary, graph paper for mapping out rooms, a home repair checklist so I know how often things need to be replaced, task lists, project worksheets, budget grids...I could go on and on! It was the perfect gift and it matches so well with my OCD.

Oh No No No

2007-02-18T12:35:00.000-05:00

Britney...what did you do?

Pics

2007-02-18T10:14:00.000-05:00

Here's some, but they are not great. I will take better ones. Just to sum it up there's the staircase, back room (or the breakfast nook as I like to call it--yeah I'm a dork), the dining room, two shots of my bedroom closet (I love it!!!), my kitchen windows, the back deck, and the entrance way into the living room.
It turns out that my mom was right, as always. As soon as all of the furniture was gone from the house we noticed more things that needed to be touched up. Which is fine of course, just a little unexpected. Frankie has been painting day and night and I have made several trips for supplies. I am officially Home Depot's bitch.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered...I'm Poor!

2007-02-15T16:56:00.000-05:00

Well its official...Frankie and I are home owners! I can't believe it. All that time it took and it's finally ours...well, it's actually the bank's for the next 30 years, but who's counting? Pics to come!

Yummy!

2007-02-10T13:04:00.000-05:00

A Hero In My Books

2007-02-03T10:54:00.000-05:00

My brother, one of NY's Bravest, saved a cat from a burning building yesterday. He brought the cat out, and placed it on the sidewalk (nobody wanted to take it) so he could go back into the building. The cat was breathing and moving.
A little later, an article appeared on Staten Island's news website. This article. Wow talk about getting screwed. It's really great that the cop gave the cat mouth to mouth and received almost all the credit. Call me crazy, but if Rob didn't get the cat out, "Baby" would have been Chinese food. Sorry for being so blunt, but its true. While the article does give some credit to the firefighters, I think its still bullshit. And no, I'm not just being vocal about it because it is my brother.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that the NYPD does not have a tough job and that this officer should not receive any credit, I think what she did was wonderful. I just think that in this particular situation running into a burning building, risking smoke inhalation, burns and possibly worse, is a little more heroic than risking a hair ball.

Fasten Your Seatbelts

2007-01-23T12:58:00.000-05:00

Returned home last night from a long business trip in Seattle (picture yourself stuck in a city with over 15,000 librarians--so not sexy). I was so happy to get on the plane and just come home. But I knew there was rough weather throughout the US so I figured we were in for a bumpy flight...I was right. Over 4 hours of shaking and bumps and air pockets, it sucked. The captain never even turned off the seat belt sign. Plus I was stuck in the middle seat in the back of the plane and the genius next to me thought the arm rest was all his. After fighting for about an hour, I gave up. So there I was cramped, tired, and terrified. But I have to say I did ok, I tried to read my book and not think about it. I honestly think I was too tired to even care.
So since we landed after midnight I thought it would be best to take a day off, check my work email from home and prepare for tomorrow's presentations. Except I can't log in to my email from home. My boss has it in her head that I am not logging in correctly, but since I check email pretty much everyday from home, call me crazy, but I think I know what I'm doing.
Then to top off my day, Frankie went to the DMV to renew my registration (which was a HUGE help), except we found out that someone registered a car in my name in North Carolina and now I get to spend the day figuring out this mystery. They were able to renew my registration in NY and they said the NC registration no longer exists, but still I hate knowing that someone did that. Yes, I do have an idea of who it was (no not you Kim haha) and if I do find out it was that person, well let's just say it won't be pretty. But for now I'm tired and need to catch up on what's on my DVR.

Here I Am!

2007-01-16T13:22:00.000-05:00

As some of you have informed me, yes it has been quite a while since my last blog. Sorry, its been a crazy month and I sort of feel like I'm losing my mind.
Are we getting the house, are we not getting the house? I wish I could answer that...I'm really not sure at this point. I'm kind of starting to lose hope. I was just told again for like the tenth time that it should happen at the end of this month. But then again I have been hearing all sorts of different answers since it was originally supposed to happen in November, so I guess only time will tell. I promise to keep you all posted and blog more...

Goodbye '06 Hello '07!

2006-12-31T15:02:00.000-05:00

Well another year has passed and it's time to move on! 2006 brought great memories! I can't believe how much happened this year--my promotion to Marketing Manager, Silvia and Steve tied the knot as well as AR and Amy, Rich and Monica, and Anthony and Lisa. We bought a house and maybe someday we'll close on it and actually get to live there! Kim moved back home to NY, so did Gina and my cousin Michael as well. I had the birth of two new adorable cousins. The celebration of my cousin Amy's engagement and the announcement of my cousin Terry's pregnancy and my best friend Kelly's pregnancy. Rachel and Chuck's engagement. Pick Me Up hit the NY Times Bestseller List. Endless nights drinking and dancing with my friends at Culture Club and fondue parties followed by nights at Rhythm and Brews. I also accomplished big financial goals this year--paying off three credit cards, Frankie's car and my car (with the help of Mom and Dad of course--thanks you two!). With all these great memories I can't even imagine what 2007 holds but I know I look forward to it.
I wish you all a happy, healthy and safe New Year! Let's make 2007 another great one!

Merry Christmas

2006-12-25T13:27:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas to all! I hope Santa was good to you!

Eight is My New Favorite Number

2006-12-21T14:54:00.000-05:00

Wow...I believe it, and I don't believe it. Hard work paid off this time--big time! Our company's book Pick Me Up made the New York Times Best Seller List! It came in at #8 this week on the children's chapter book list. This is pretty much a first for DK and it's big news around here. The book totally rocks. If you haven't bought one yet, buy it. If your on myspace make it your friend. Spread the word that is Pick Me Up!