Life Happens

I am really busy with school and work right now. Did I mention classes started a couple of weeks ago? Boy have they started. I thought I was taking one hard class and an easy class but apparently I was fooled. My easy class already has two papers assigned and my hard class only has one. I have been working on one of them for the last couple of days and I hope to have it done sometime next week. Oh, and I have a test tomorrow.

Yea, work is also kicking my ass!

You probably won't see many post from me over the next couple of weeks. I am going to be traveling to DC and Chicago for work so I am not sure what my schedule will look like. I will definitely be home during the weekends to do laundry and fly out again. It should be interesting.
I will try to post when I can but I will probably be working on papers or on homework. Or maybe even flirting with the boys ;) I get to see David. My coworker tells me he is hot. Maybe I can take a picture of him and post it when I come back.

I hope all is going well with you in your worlds.

The Things People Do

I went to bed early last night because I wanted to get up this morning and go for a jog but instead I slept through the alarm and woke up very late. But that is not what this post is about.

Are there things you do as a result something your parents told you?
Every night before I go to bed I take a drink of water. When I was young my mother told me that if I went to bed thirsty and if I died during the night I would spend the afterlife in search of water because I died thirsty. I know it doesn't make any sense but when you are 5 or 6 it scares the shit out of you so if you are thirsty you drink water.

Some of us would call them lies, but they are really just creative ways of scaring the hell out of your children to get them to do what you want.

There is also the story of el cucuy (the bogeyman), la llorona (the weeping woman) and countless other stories people tell their children to get them to behave.

What stories did your parents tell you to scare you into submission?

Is it to late?

I met a guy in December at an event I attended. He was very cute, funny, friendly, and seemed smart. We talked, we laughed, and had a good time. At the end of the night he asked for my number and I didn't have any problems giving it to him but we couldn't find a pen. So he gave me his number and I saved it on my phone but I still haven't called. I meant to call but one thing led to another and next thing you know a month has passed and I still haven't called. Is it to late to call? Would you take my phone call?

When he gave me his number I said something along the lines of "So now I have to do all of the work" to which he replied "I will do all the work later" and did this cute/sexy thing with his tongue.

Friday...And all is well

I am so glad the weekend is here. I plan to do absolutely nothing, I may go out to the country to visit my sister and spend some time by the lake if it is not to cold and if I decide to make the drive. I love it out there, it is so peaceful.
I do need to go shopping, I have decided I don't have any going out clothes. Everything I have is so two seasons ago. I will need to go out and buy a few shirts, new shoes, etc. I asked a guy I know to go with me b/c he dresses really cool, maybe it will wear off on me. And I need something different. Totally different from what I normally buy.

I give out horrible advice. If I ever volunteer my advice, please remember this post. Consider this your warning.

All Systems Down...Again

I find it a little disturbing that I work for a high tech/out sorcing company and our systems are down all of the time. They have been down all morning and they were down most of yesterday.

That doesn't leave me with much to do. So I read blogs, I surf the internet, and I yawn a lot.

Did I mention that they made me move offices last week? I use to have this huge office and they made me move to an even bigger office right next door. Yes, right next door. Why you ask? Well, they wanted to give my office to someone in Investor Relations and they didn't want to give her the big office. So I get the big office. Yay for me.

Did I mention I am moving again on Friday? Yeap, why you ask? Well, they are moving my department to a building that is about 20 minutes away from the main campus and I will be in a cubicle instead of my spacious office. So I will have to move again on Friday around lunch.
I am a little pissed about the move because it is going to increase my drive about 20 minutes. But I can now listen to NPR in the morning and I can listen to books on tape.

I feel like doing some shopping. I am going to run over the West Village and buy me something pretty to make me feel better. I will be back in two hours and if the system is not back up by then I am going home for the day.

I love my people

Yes, I have people!

I am not sure what it is about my culture but somehow it is considered a compliment to tell someone they have gained weight. I was with my aunt and she tells me "Te vez mas rellenito" which translates to "You look fuller". And what can you say? I know she wasn't trying to call me fat, I know she wasn't trying to be mean. She meant it as a compliment. But how can you really take it as a compliment especially when I am trying to loose weight.

Ouch

Yea, I am in pain. I started exercising again last night and my body hates me this morning. I went for a jog and I dusted off the old Power 90 dvd's. I will keep you guys updated on my progress. I really just need to eat healthy but how could I turn down my craving for fried food? It is going to be difficult.

My 5 minute drive to work took me about 25 minutes this morning. An 18 wheeler was blocking the street because he couldn't figure out how to make a right turn without taking out the side of the building. Unfortunately I couldn't go anywhere.

Then I get to work and there is a small fire in the parking lot. I looked at the fire and at the people trying to put it out and I just kept on walking. It was way to early to be brave and besides, I didn't want to smell like smoke.

On a more upbeat/positive note, I started organizing my pantry last night. I have so much more room now. I am going back to the Bed Bath and Beyond and I am returning some stuff I bought and I am buying a lazy Susan to put in my pantry. I know, I know, just because she is lazy doesn't mean I have to punish her and put her in the pantry but I think she would do wonders in there.

Have a great Tuesday!!!

P.S. The website I use to tell me when you have updated your blog has been all screwed up for the last few days so I haven't been reading. I am going to try to catch up on blogs today.

Picture Weekend Update

I had a pretty lazy/boring weekend. I decided to stay home on Friday night because school started last Monday and I had not opened my books or done any of my readings. So I stayed home and I read, a lot. The pictures below were taken on my way back home from picking up Vietnamese food for dinner.


I will take a better picture of downtown and post it later.



Saturday...more fun. I woke up and I decided to go visit my sisters and my friend Sarah. I love visiting my nieces and nephews, they say and do the funniest things. The pictures below were taken on my way to my sisters house.




I am thinking about making this picture my title bar. I will need to figure out how to do that.

Sunday I went to mass with my friend Juan. I have been wanting to check out the big Catholic Cathedral downtown. The cathedral is beautiful and mass was mass. After mass we walked around the arts district for a while and then we went and met "Horacio" and "Hawk" for dim sum. It turned into a day with Juan. After we went home and changed and then went to Bed Bath and Beyond to buy some shelves and then to see Pride and Prejudice. I loved this movie, I think it is the greatest love story ever told :)



Oh, one more thing. I got finally went to the library and got my library card. The library is HUGE, it is 8 floors and they have everything you can think of. I love it.

She said what?

I can't help but laugh every time I think of the comment that was left on yesterdays post. Did you see it? I am talking about the anonymous comment.

Maybe it is funny because I know who did it and that it was meant as a joke.

When I first read it I had tears coming out of my eyes and now every time I read it I can't help but laugh.

If you haven't read Kerry's blog check it out. She is witty and funny.

Also, I have moved my list of books to read for 2006 to the side bar. Thanks for the recommendations. I will let you guys know what I think of these books. I am going to the library on Saturday to check some of them out.

2006 Reading List

I have put together a list of books I want to read for 2006. If there are any books you have read recently and you think they are worth reading let me know and I might add them to my list:

Misquoting Jesus by Bart Ehrman

The Interpreter; A tale of Crime and Injustice by Alice Kaplan

Zorro by Isabell Allende

The Language Police by Diane Ravitch

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Don’t Get Too Comfortable by David Rakoff

Address Unkown by Kathrine Kressman Taylor

Breakfast with Tiffany, an Uncles Momoir by Edwin John Wintle

Assimil Language Books

Washington Square by Henry James

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

Read so far this Year
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss LOVED You should read it

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Memories of My Melancholy Whores by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

The old man and the sea by Ernest Hemingway

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

Buying a fishing rod for my granfather by Xingjian Gao


Started reading but couldn't bear finishing the book
The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai

Books on my original list but I decided not to read

A Million Little Pieces by James Frey

Farm Boys

I had an interview in White Settlement yesterday. The name of the city may sound familiar to you because recently they were trying to change the name of the city to White Settlement to West Settlement because of the perceived racial discrimination in the name.
Anyway, after the interview I stopped at this OLD gas station. It was one of those gas stations where you have to go inside and pay and you have to stop the pump yourself.
As I pull in there is an old beat up truck and a young guy pumping gas. He is one of those young guys that is country, he is wearing a baseball cap, an old t-shirt, boots, and jeans. I get out of my car and smile at him and go inside to pay. As I was pumping I went over the amount of had pre-paid so I went back in to pay again. When I was coming out he was already leaving and he pulls his truck up close to my car and said

Farm Boy (FB): Hey
Me: How's it going?
FB: Do you get good mileage with your car?
Me: Yea...blablabla
FB: I am thinking about getting a car, my old beat up truck doesn't get good mileage. Blablablabla
FB: Do you live around here?
Me: No
FB: We should get together some time..

So I gave him my number. Maybe I can change FB to Fuck Buddy instead of Farm Boy :) J/K

He was cute, if he calls I may meet him for a drink. I will keep you posted.

We are 11 days into the year and I have already accomplished one of my resolutions. I am in love. I know what you are thinking, "But Cesar, you just met FB." Relax, it isn't him.
His name is David and he works for one of the law firms I deal with on a regular basis. He has a great voice and sounds cute. I found out today he is from Spain and has the sexist accent. (O.K. I may be lusting...I am not in love). I get to spend a week with him starting on the 30th. :) I am going to be training with him in DC :)
I can't wait.

Pan Dulce

Pan Dulce
Originally uploaded by kai7710.

My friend Chico took me out to dinner tonight. We went to Veracruz, a great little restaurant in the Bishop Arts district. Like always, the food was amazing. If you live in the DFW area you have to try this restaurant.

Somehow, the conversation took a turn for the worse. We ordered cheeze with chorizo (mexican sausage) and some how that got us started on a sexual conversation.

I hope Chico makes a post of this conversation because he is really good at telling stories.

But anyway, I was telling him about a Panaderia (Mexican Bread Store) in Fort Worth that makes the best bread and I was telling him how the owners are really rude (they remind me of the soup nazi from Sienfield) but how people keep coming back because the bread is so good.

He then took that and converted into a sexual comment and how the guys I date keep coming back to get some more of my pan dulce (sweet bread) and made the sign on the lid of my to go container. (Yes, he drew a penis)

My Sunday Treat

Today as I was driving around I had the opportunity to listen to Azar Nafisi on Studio 360. If you have not had the opportunity to read Reading Lolita in Tehran I suggest you buy or borrow this book from your local library immediately. It has been on the best selling list for 2 years for a reason.
Ever since I read this book I have been reading all of the articles published by Azar Nafisi and I find her to be a fascinating woman. If you take my recommendation let me know what you think of the book.

Yawn - Saturday

It was a lazy Saturday. I didn't do much besides getting a hair cut and having a facial. It was really very relaxing.
I think I found a place to get a hair cut in the surrounding neighborhoods that won't cost $50. I found this place called Socorro's


Socorro's Beauty Salon
(sorry the picture is so small - I will figure out how to make it bigger)

The people there were very nice and friendly. The owner even offered me a gansito which I love. I think that won me over. They also paid compliments on my shoes and my shirt :) How could I not go back? And my hair looks pretty good.

Since I just moved to my neighborhood I have been trying to find out what it has to offer. There is a lot of hip and cool places to the north west of my neighborhood but to the east there are a lot of hole in the wall places. Those are the ones I am interested in, while I was running around I found an Asian market, an Italian shop with fresh pasta, and there are a lot of Mexican restaurants. There is also a little Thai restaurant and a lot of Vietnamese restaurants. Now I have to find someone to try these restaurants with me. I need to find a place that makes fresh baked sweet Mexican bread. That use to be my breakfast on Sunday mornings.

I have decided I will start incorporating pictures of the places in my neighborhood. Right outside of my place you can see all of downtown Dallas and it is a beautiful sight at night. As soon as I take one at night I will post it. I will need to figure out how to make the pictures bigger.


On a positive note: I did have another phone interview and I have a follow up interview on Tuesday. There are some pros and cons to this job.
Pros -
1. A lot more money (A LOT)
2. They are interested
3. They have two positions and they are only interviewing 3 candidates.
4. Great vacation benefits
5. Great medical benefits

Cons -
1. It is in FW (about 45 minutes away)
2. It is not the job I wanted.
3. It is in the defense industry. May conflict with my morals esp. the anti-war beliefs.
4. Once I get use to the money it would be hard to leave.

On a different note: I have been working with this guy on getting some stuff done. All of our communications have always been through email but yesterday he called me and his voice is SEXY. It is deep, masculine, and seductive. Yesterday we met up so he could give me some stuff and the voice matches the body and the personality. He seems like a really cool guy but he is really young. I think he is 22 or 23 and he is the artsy type. I love the artsy type...but the artsy type and my Type A personality don't really mix to well. Not that he showed any interest in me or anything. I am just saying.

Sleep Over's

I don't like it when men spend the night. It complicates things and it makes for a shitty day.
My reasons are:
1. You don't get any sleep (this is both a good and a bad thing).
2. He may be a snorer
3. He may be a sheet hog.
4. I am not use to having someone in my bed so every time he turns I wake up.
5. He gives off to much body heat and I wake up in puddles of sweat.

The sex was good though.

It's been a bad week!

Yea, a pretty shitty week indeed.

My boss quit yesterday so I decided to stay home today and continue my job search. It is pretty hard trying to find a job when everyone wants to know why I am leaving my current company after 4 months. Can I tell them that my current employer is corrupts? Can I tell them I feel like I am working in hell every time I show up to work? I have to find a better way to tell them why I am leaving.
On a better note, I do have some job leads and I had a phone interview this morning. At the end of the interview they tell me there isn't a job opening YET and that when there is it will probably be in Canada. I am cool with that, I like Canada.
I have been a ball of nerves. I didn't think my boss was leaving until the beginning of January but she said she couldn't take it anymore. She is trying to help us find jobs so hopefully her recomendations will help.

A dog peed on me. That is all I am going to say about that.

I am having my morning coffee right now (I know it is already 12:07 but I just woke up about an hour ago) and I am going to jump in the shower and go do some shopping to distract me for a minute. Tomorrow I am going to get a facial and make it a ME day. I need some pampering.

Predictions

O.K. So nobody is into making New Years Resolutions so how about we try to make some predictions (guesses) of what is going to happen for you in 2007, and if you want of each other.

I will start - feel free to join in:

I predict -
I will have a new job in 2006. Hopefully I will be living in DC and traveling a lot with my job.

I will loose 10 lbs and I will still not be happy with my body.

I will start talking to Wade again because I miss him but nothing will come out of it...I am willing to give it a shot anyway.

I will finish my masters program.

I will fall in love. Truly in love.

I am a Type A - That's not such a bad thing.

You Have A Type A Personality

A You are hyper, energetic, and always on the mood You tend to succeed at everything you attempt And if you don't succeed at first, you quickly climb your way to the top! You could be called a workaholic, but you also make time for fun As long as it's high energy and competitive, you're interested You have the perfect personality for business and atheltic success

Do You Have a Type A Personality?

New Year...New me?

I am not one to make new years resolutions because I don't follow through with them, and I really don't know anyone else who does. But there are some things I want to do this coming year but I won't call them new years resolutions.
This coming year I want to:
1. Finish my masters
2. Loose 10 lbs.
3. Dust off my camera and take more pictures.
4. Take karate or boxing lessons
5. Read more

That is it. I should be able to do all of these if I put some effort into it.

Do you make resolutions?