Happy Friday fellow rat racers!! Oh wait...It's not Friday?!? Well, it is for ME, suckaz!! Aaahaha!! Don't worry, when all of you are off on Monday, and I'm "slaving" away behind this computer, you'll have the last laugh.

I'm off to Dallas tomorrow. Plans have changed, and I will be driving up with Sheryl instead of Sunu. This means one of four things will happen. 1. We will get lost. (most likely of the 4), 2. She will drive me crazy, and I will abandon vehicle somewhere along I-35, 3. We will laugh like hyenas for 3.5 hours and be dead tired upon our arrival, or 4. While we are driving, Sheryl will pull over to the side of the road in order to do something dumb, like tie her shoe. While she does this, our car will be hijacked by a band of thieves who are running from the law. They will use us as hostage to get to the Mexican border. Once there we will be too lost to find our way home, and inevitably broke, so we will have to work in Mexico as Mariachi singers in order to get enough money to come back home. (off the wall, I know...but strange things happen when we are together for more than ½ an hour.)

Last night, I heard that Star Jones is no longer on the View!?! What the heck happened there? I thought the View girls were one big, happy family! If you have details on the story, please let me know.

Mousse ate a bird yesterday....Don't worry it was dead...but regardless it was disgusting. Sheryl came to walk with us yesterday and instead of watching Mousse's every move like I typically do...I was listening to her ramble on about something. All of a sudden I hear, "He's eating a bird." I quickly look around to see who "he" is. Then I realize it's Mousse...as usual no one gets her gender right. So, I look down and see this gray "thing" hanging out of her mouth and proceed to spazz out. I hate birds...they may be helpless, but they're not harmless. I'm so scared of them...especially the ones in NYC..that have no fear of man. Anyway, I dropped the leash until her "crunching" subsided. She cruched away and looked at me with confusion. She just couldn't understand why I was freaking out. Sheryl kept telling her, "Mousse say ahhhh...say ahhh." Dumb and Dumber I tell ya....

I stayed up till 1 am trying to figure out how to make a bracelet for Staicy's wedding. I stared at the picture of it that I found on line for an hour...took a break and walked over to Finuji's. She hooked me up with a color picture of the bracelet and gave me her thoughts on how to make it...we stared it some more...I came home, stared for a few more hours, tried several attempts, failed and failed again...and around 1 am, I figured it out...PARTIALLY. I figure if this is as far as I can figure it out...it will be good enough...not perfection...but acceptable. I'll post a picture of my most challenging bead project ever once I actually finish one!!

Have a wonderful weekend bloggers...I'll be back Monday with stories and pictures...stay tuned!

Happy Birthday, JT!

June is definitely a very busy birthday month....
Happy Birthday, JT! To know Jason is to love Jason. I've never met a single soul that doesn't absolutely adore him upon meeting him. He has a smile worth a million bucks and a heart of gold that goes along with it! JT, one of my favorite things about Sundays are your hugs! I wish you a veryyyyyyy Happy Birthday!...Have a blessed year!

Nachoooooooooooo average Monday post...

Ahhh...the weekend has come and gone. It was a busy one, but I greatly enjoyed it! Friday, I went to go watch Nacho Libre with my cousins. I LOVED that movie...it felt good to laugh my arss off about complete nonsense. My cousins complained that I enjoyed the movie a little bit more than anyone else in the theater and that I was laughing at odd times...about things that no one else found funny. I couldn't help it...some things just triggered my funny bone. For those of you who have watched the movie...the part that I found to be the most hilarious was when Nacho was wearing this frilly shirt and was running down the street in it...all the frills were bouncing, and I just couldn't stop laughing! *sigh*...good times!

Saturday, was Miss Val's baby shower. This girl had a ton of presents. I didn't think we'd ever get out of there...because you can't just open a present and toss it aside...you have to display it so everyone can say "awwww"..."how cute"...and that just takes more time!! But, it went surprisingly fast...she opened our present at the very end. I think her and Billy were both tickled by the clothesline. At least it looks like it from her expression here!!

Sunday, was Sujith's surprise birthday party. I must say that Sheryl pulled it off quite well. The man was completely surprised...as you can see! I think he was just thrilled by the whole experience because I've never seen him smile so big.

I happened to find Angie crying when no one else was around. She was desperate and needed comfort from SOMEONE so she decided that I would do. While I had her, I had to make use of the opportunity since she rarely comes to me...Sunu A wanted to join in on the photo op, but I threatened her life if she took the child from me. As you can see by Angie's face she was simply thrilled to hang out with me.

The goof troop at Sujith's party!!

So, it was a fun-filled weekend! Here's to hoping that I will get the A-ok for my request to take off Friday....which will make this a 4 day week for me!! Praise the Lord!

In other news, I had a chat with a friend yesterday about "life." She said a comment that really made me think....she said that if we receive nothing else from God throughout our lives...than we should be satisfied with salvation...and the gift of eternal life. That comment really made me think about things and put things in perspective. I had to ask myself a hard question..."Is salvation enough?" I realized that the answer to that question was sadly..."no." I guess I don't fully understand the depth of what I've been saved from...nor can I fully grasp the price that was paid on the cross...If so, salvation would be enough. It's hard not to expect blessings...but would warrant blessings? Good behavior? Rightousness? Our rightousness on our BEST days is like filthy rags. What warrants blessings is grace... And I can't question God as to why He doesn't have grace enough to hook me up with things I desire...because He had grace enough to send His only son to die for me...what more could I want? So this is the question I'm going to ask myself from here on out. Isn't salvation enough? And if that answer is no...I need to get to a point with God where it's more than enough...because really the blessings I desire will last me only till I take my last breath. But what happens after that?

It's Friday...Holla if you hear me!

You like that title? My cousins have this friend who talks Ebonics around certain people. I guess she thinks it's cool. I knew a girl who was born and raised in Oklahoma who mysteriously acquired a New York accent one summer...and NO, IT'S NOT ME. It's funny what kids do to be cool. Anyway...

It's Friday! Before I forget...here's the word of the week:
sobriquet \SO-brih-kay; -ket; so-brih-KAY; -KET\, noun:
A nickname; an assumed name; an epithet
Although I hate it, "Poo" has become my sobriquet.

Last night I did something stupid. I haven't done something truly stupid in a long time...well, okay...a week...so it was overdue. I went to the library with the kids. Andrew had a video due and I had a book due. we get to the library, get out of the car, and I grab his video, but can't find my book. Marissa says, "The last I saw it was when you put it on top of the car, Sue Aunty." Uhm, yah...come to think of it...that was the last I saw it too. So yes, I drove off with the book on top of the car. We quickly got back in the car and drove home...looking on the opposite side of the street to see if we could spot a book that was smashed to smitherines. Luckily...we found it...laying on my street...It didn't even have a scratch on it. ;)I let out a big...THANK YOU JESUS! (in my best country accent)...and andrew demanded, "talk normal, sue aunty!!"

Is it wrong that the current song playing in my head is promiscuous girl?

I'm hoping that tonight will be the night that I get to go see Nacho Libre. My little cousins are the only ones who will agree to go watch it with me. No one else I know likes Jack Black. I don't understand why...what's not to love??

Tomorrow is Billy and Valerie's baby shower celebrating their baby boy, Landon. I helped Billy paint the nursery a few weeks ago. Or should I say..I helped him paint the floor of the nursery a few weeks ago. (i spilled paint EVERYWHERE) So, I'm excited to see how it looks now that it's completely done!!

So the pente conference is on it's way. stopped going to those several years ago, but i find myself wanting to go for atleast one day this year. The Beacon writers will be meeting along with the members of Project Nineveh, so I'd kinda like to go talk with some of these folks. We'll see. I hear that conferences now are much different than conferences in my day...when the hilight of the "religious weekend" was to go to the after parties in seedy clubs and hook up. What does that say about my generation?? Now, there is actual spiritual growth. Wow...what a novel idea!

Well, have a good weekend, rat racers...enjoy the 2 days of bliss!!

I've gotta pansy on my hands...

i took mousse out to the dog park last night. i thought she'd run crazy and jump all over people and annoy dogs. she was just the opposite. she stood next to me the entire time. and inspected everyone from a distance. at one point, 4 dogs circled her and tried to sniff her. she ran for her life and was crying as they chased her. that broke my heart, so as soon as those big dogs left, i decided to take her home. she totally surprised me. i didn't realize she was this passive. she wasn't even remotely interested in the pond that the other dogs were having a blast swimming in.

*shirley, maybe mousse and kobe can play one on one. and then when they become friends they can go to the park together. maybe that will give mousse more confidence*

Happy Birthday, boys!

Happy Birthday to my two sweet nephews! Aaron turns the big 12 today. How is this possible? I still remember when my sister was pregnant, and I would bring home all sorts of junk for the baby who wasn't even born yet. After he was born, I would go over to their house (which was conveniently just one house down from my own) nearly ever day. I think Aaron was THE cutest baby ever (tied with Andrew and Marissa, of course)!! Once he got older, I had to sneak out of the house in order to go back home...if he caught me, he'd cry to no end!! I typically waited till Barney was on and then crawl out (literally) with out him noticing. Where has the time gone? Now, he's grown up to become an outstanding kid...(I think it's safe to say we can credit that to his early years with ME!) He's smart in school, athletic, muscially inclined...the list continues...but I don't want to be a bragging aunt or anything!

Aaron, I'm sure your mom will make you read this...so I want to wish you a very Happy Birthday. You are a blessing to our family...you make us so proud and we love you!! May God continue to bless you...always!

The next lil' bithday boy in my life is JP...he turns the big 1 today!! I am happy that I got to hold him and hug him a few times this past year....I'm looking forward to see all the great things God has in store for his life as well. SueTee...JP's shirt is in transit to CCL's house and will be ready for him to model on Saturday! Please give him a birthday kiss and hug from Sueni!!

I haven't mentioned how painfully quiet the office has been the past 2 months...how there's little to no excitement that goes on, how much I miss hearing the random sound of pigs snorting to "Jingle Bells," or watching John unwrap a piece of bubblegum with a look of excitement on his face like a little school boy. John is definitely missed each and every day...

Today I had a sweet surprise from his widow, Berta Fae. She brought me these beautiful flowers and vase along with a little note. She explained that the vase was from Ireland and John had hand-picked it as my souveneir. He got it from the Blarney Castle...I'm not so sure you can see the detail in the vase, but is a miniature castle with clovers on the side. *sigh*....I'll put it with my "John Corner" on my desk...where I keep all the other little stored treasures he gave me...

SunuA comes back today. It feels like she has been gone for 6 months...not 2. It will be good to see her again and hear her stories. I know she has plenty to tell. Before she left, we didn't know if I'd still be here when she got back. The prospects were looking so good for me. It's crazy how life... as you hope it to be can completely make a u-turn...and you start right back from where you were at in the beginning. =/

At this point, I'm not too sure if I need a break from reality or if my reality needs a break. Seeing as how I just got back from vacation, it is probably the latter. =/
At the end of the day, I try to channel my frustrations into something creative...like the short story I've been working on for 2 weeks now. So far we're at 6 pages and I see no end in sight. Last night I worked on this onesie for JP. He's having his first birthday party on Saturday. His mom is a little challenged when it comes to making things from scratch...so I thought I'd help my namesake out a bit.

I saw a rather disturbing movie last night on Lifetime. It was a true story about a transgender teen who was murdered back in 2002. It made me realize that a lot of times we don't understand people who are different than us...and it's easy to mock things we don't understand or label it as a strange sin. I'm not saying we should promote things that we find to be immoral, but maybe be more accepting of people...show more love and a little less hate. I think that's what God would want from us. Don't they say we are the hands and feet of Jesus? Wasn't Jesus himself who hung out with the pondscum of his time with out any hesitations? I was just so disturbed by that movie...and it made me realize that hate might just be the most dangerous sin.

happy Monday fellow rat racers. hope the weekend treated all of you well. mine was rather unproductive. Friday night i took the moussemeister over to Julie's to play with her dog Diesel. Her little Jack Russell is but a fraction of Mousse's size, however he had her completely terrorized. Upon their introduction, Diesel nipped an Mousse and it completely hurt her feelings. She was hurt AND scared. In the 8 months that I've had her, I've never seen her hide her tail between her legs...but she did after that episode. So the search for a friend for Miss Mousse continues. I think this time, I'll try to find a dog that's Mousse's size...

Saturday, we hit the OKC art Museum. I give the museum a great big A for effort. However, they need more art...some statues, perhaps. But, I will give downtown OKC some credit for trying. Afterwards we went to Cafe De Brazil to continue celebrating Finu's 30th. I loved the bright, cheery atmosphere and the live Bossinova music. I know the picture's blurry...I forgot my memory card at work and had to resort to using my camera phone...which just didn't do the ambience justice!

Last but not least, I spent Sunday with my dog. I bought her a few toys which she demolished in about 2 minutes and 2 seconds. We went for a walk, and she showed me how she can touch her nose with her tongue!

This picture was taken when I was three. I'm sure my sister remembers this scene quite well...I was deathly afraid of cameras, so I was bawling my eyes out during this family picture. They had to place me on my dad's lap instead of my mom's, so I would quieten down. He was always the one I went to when I needed comfort, to feel protected, or a little extra TLC. There's something so special about a father's love...especially how they love their daughters. That kind of loves seems to know no boundaries...they will do anything to make sure their daughters are protected and cared for. Words can't express how much I have missed that in my life...how much I wish I could have had it for just a while longer.

It's amazing how someone I only knew for twelve years has impacted my life more than anyone else I've known thus far. Although my memories are limited, I remember how much joy he brought...not just to me, but to all who knew him. He was truly a light, a sweet spirit...I find myself striving to be like him, yet falling short time and time again.

I may not have a father to celebrate WITH today, but I do have a father to celebrate and I am ever-so-grateful to have had his love...

birthdays, birthdays, birthdays

Since Sheryl's already done a character profile on Finu...and Niki doesn't think mine are as funny as Mattie's!!!...I decided that another Birthday Edition profile just wouldn't be necessary. Instead I thought I'd share some thoughts on this sweet soul we call Finuji. Fin is the most laid back person I know. I don't recall ever seeing her get mad or dramatic. If something bugs her, she literally just says, "oh well." She's generous, dependable and witty with the patience of a Saint. Those are just a few reasons why i adore her! If there was just one thing I could change about her it would be her need to listen to Hindi music everytime we get in her car!

This is going to be such an exciting year for Finu...her baby boy is on the way! I'm so happy to see her receive all the happiness she truly deserves.

Finz, I know I speak on behalf of the entire crew when I say...HAPPY BIRTHDAY! We love you more than you know! Enjoy your day...and this year that will be filled with tons of memorable moments!

Since I never post on Sundays...I figured I'd post a bday shoutout to the bday boy who shares his bday with Fathers day...my apachen (uncle). Sunday will be extra special for him! So happy Birthday and Happy Father's Day...to the only person who looks out for me like my Father would...



Last but not least, happy belated birthday to JU, aka "my boo." I was heart broken when I discovered I missed his birthday and the opportunity to give him a birthday shout out. JU's my favorite person in North Carolina...or is it South? Regardless..he doesn't have much competition anyways...just his roomate..that other guy. I usually see this kool kat when we're both in NYC. He's always fun to be around with his faux-Long Island accent and like Mattie said, he's a great conversationalist!..and he's always really a good sport to put up with SONIA'S senseless flirting. lol. JU, Happiest of Happy birthdays to you...hope this year is bright and blessed, Boo!

Pics from last night's birthday girl!

Birthday girl with her mom and Andrewji and Missa

Character Profile Birthday Edition...

Name: Leslie Ann
Nicknames: Les, LesAsh/AshLes (cuz when the sisters are together, I can never get their names right), and Lil'One
Age: 17
Job: salesgirl @ Limited 2
Annoying habits: she's a packrat. she still has the fake flower arrangement that my mom bought her mom the day she was born...she displays it in her room. A. it's ugly. B. it's 17 years old!
Future goals: To be a dentist that can do hair and nails! ;)
Favorite phrase: "wait...what?"

Happy birthday, Les!

Sue's Southern Fried Goodness Chicken Fried Steak Recipe

Since you requested it....
Before I go on, I must tell you all that I don't use measurements. Mainly because I suck at fractions. so keep that in mind...

*get 4 steak patties...(cube steak)

(these kinda look like hamburger patties but flatter.)
*beat 2 egg whites and put a few dashes of tobasco sauce in it and mix well. (if u like it with a KICK put enough dashes to make it red)
*pour some flour in a plate, season it with garlic, pepper, salt, basil to taste
*dip the steak in the egg/tobasco mixture, then coat with flour
*fry in an inch of olive oil (if you don't care about fat/calories use criscoe instead!)
* cook on medium heat till flour is a lovely shade of golden and brown and meat has been given time to cook

now for the gravy...it's sinful but good

*use the drippings of oil and batter left in your pan, throw a bit (a spoon or two) of flour in it, and about a cup of water or chicken broth...season to taste.

I've been seeing signs about THIS all over OKC. It made me laugh!!

For those of you (LIKE BILLY)who failed to catch why this is funny...click on the word "THIS"

I have to go grocery shopping today. It's not my favorite task to do, but it's better than leaving it up to my non-label reading mother. The other night she bought wheat tortilla's to make enchiladas with. I'm sure it's the healthier option, but it just didn't taste as good. Ironically enough, my mom happened to drop the entire package of wheat tortillas on the floor the other night, saving me from making another batch of enchiladas with the remainder of the package. Needless to say Mousse has been eating bits of wheat tortillas or (tortiyo's, as my mom calls them) as a treat. Not much of a treat if you ask me...

Last night I made chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, and corn. I know, not a very calorie conscious meal. But sometimes you gotta live a little. Lately, I've been living a little too much. It was sooooo good. Sheryl says I have a big head about my cooking. She's right...I do! =)

I got caught up in this VH1 show called Hogan Knows Best...It's about Hulk Hogan and his family. In last night's episode, they adopted a baby chimp for a trial period. It was unbelievable how freaking adorable that chimp was. Not to mention, how human-like. It was just like a real baby. Sadly, it didn't mix well with Hogan's 8 dogs...so it had to go back to a chimp shelter.

I can't imagine owning 8 dogs. The one I have is challenging enough. She is so incredibly stubborn. She decides things occasionally...like she doesn't want to go outside anymore or sleep in the laundry room. So, I have to resort to using tricks to get her to do both...or sometime just have to use brute force and drag her to do it. It's such a challenge at times! Now, I feel like she's becoming paranoid and distrustful. She won't even go outside to take a leak in fear that I'll shut the door on her. And if I reach down to pet her, she spazzes cuz she thinks I'm going to grab her collar and pull her out. Any advice?? I'm taking her to Julie's on Friday, so she can play with Diesel. Hopefully this will help her socialize and be more happy overall. We'll see how it goes...

I had a power nap in my car during lunch and now I feel energetic enough to write my blog post for today. I was in a crabby mood until I received a letter from an old friend. It's funny how you can not talk to a person in years...and then the minute you talk again it's like nothing has ever changed. Anyway, growing up...he was always a thorn in my side...harrassed me every opportunity that he could...and I did the same thing to him. After reading his email, I realized that very little has changed. but, it made me laugh.

Anyhoo...who watched the season premiere of "how to get a guy" last night? It appears that the inability to find mr. right is an epidemic that plagues many single american women...not just me. the show is about 2 love coaches that help 4 single women find men. it's funny how detailed they get...even offering step by step WRITTEN instructions for viewers in case they want to take notes. and in case you were wondering... NO I DIDN'T TAKE NOTES! Anyway, last night's episode was a little embarrassing...it'll be interesting how things turn out in the end.

So, I have an official name for the business courtesy my first client. she suggested i name it..."it's a beautiful day"...i took her advice, but with a twist..."it's a beautyfull day" So, if you live in the OKC area and need help planning a party, shower, or wedding...email me at itsabeautyfullday@gmail.com!

Never would I have thought to see the day that CCL asked ME for a recipe. She's always dawging on my cooking...despite the fact that she's never tasted it...save the one steak I made her when I was 6. She still holds it against me...saying it was so tough she dislocated her jaw.

This is a proud moment for me...so I had to share her email with the world...lest she decides to deny that she's using my recipe and tells everyone it's her very own!
***********************************************
From: Lisa *****
To: Susan Varghese
Subject: Brownies
Can you give me your alkey brownie recipe?
I must make them to take this weekend to corpus.
thanks!

lisa

I had Souper Salad for lunch today and now I'm stuffed. I try not to push myself to the stuffing point during lunch because it just makes for a long, sleepy afternoon. But, I couldn't help it. I was craving SS in a major way, and I had to heed my cravings.

Although I'm drowsy, I will do my best to successfully write a blog post. I don't want to let down my fellow rat racers. I'm here to provide 15 seconds of reading pleasure just for you. Anyway, this weekend...where did it go. It flew by in an instant. Saturday, I didn't do much. I went to go watch my friends run in this event called the corporate challenge. There were tons of people...none of which I knew...suddenly I felt very small and slinked back to my car after a few minutes. I spent the rest of the afternoon with Marissa and Andrew, watching Freaky Friday on the Disney Channel. When I got home, I discovered that the MU went grocery shopping.

There's nothing I hate more than when she does this. She doesn't read labels and it literally drives me bonkers. She wanted me to make chicken enchiladas, however she bought no enchilada seasoning, wheat tortillas, no re-fried beans, and ONE chicken breast! I felt like Jesus feeding the 5000 with 2 fish and 5 loaves...or is it 5 fish and 2 loaves? anyhoo...I went to the store to buy the stuff she didn't buy, came home and made the most of the chicken...and it ended up making 4 enchiladas....so i guess mother knows best.

I capped off Saturday night by watching "Just Like Heaven." Excellent chick flick...(in case you were wondering) Afterwards, I was craving a junior banana split from sonic...they're just the right size when you're counting calories...more banana than split. Anyway, i was more than pissed when the idiots didn't close it correctly and half of it spilled on my purple wedding file! Grr...chocolate smudges on a file just doesn't look too professional.

Sunday they had the OPYF 29:11 DVD release party. (The play I wrote back in November) It was good to see the kiddos again...and see the fruits of their labor in video form. Afterwards, I had a consultation with my first-ever client. It was actually more of a personal visit...but regardless, I was excited about it. I'm hoping we'll nail down a church and hall this week, so our tasks for June will be complete...yeehaw! Sunday night ended with a very long overdue conversation with my cousin Krissy...catching up on this crazy thing we call life...and discussing how I WON'T be able to come see them this weekend when they're in Texas. =(...thanks to Mousse...my traveling days are over. =/

Now...we're on to another week. *sigh* I'm going to do my best to stay awake for the next 3 hours and 45 minutes. We'll see if I can make it....

It's FRIDAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY! I figured that since I didn't mention it all week, I could sing the Friday praises today!! YEEHAW!! What am I doing this weekend? Not a damn thing. Anyway, I realized that I've been forgetting the "word of the day"...so I figured I'd just do a word of the week.

discrete \dis-KREET\, adjective:
1. Constituting a separate thing; distinct.
2. Consisting of distinct or unconnected parts.
3. (Mathematics) Defined for a finite or countable set of values; not continuous

In other news, the kids came over for their Thursday night visit last night. I took them to the park and made them pose while I practice my photography skills. Here are the results...







Be sure to check out Mousse's flog...

Have a great weekend!

The Jamaicans are back! The official report from BF and Mattie is that they had a wonderful, fun-filled,relaxing time!! And yes, yesterday was indeed Mattie's birthday! I viewed all 103 pictures of their lovely Jamaica trip...Snuk mentioned that she was itching to see a few, so I posted my 2 favorite. Sonia already warned me not to post any scandalous ones. To her scandalous is her in a sleeveless shirt...so I guess all the pics are scandalous! =/ I decided to post my top two favorites. I think the funniest thing about these pics are how DARK BF got. It's about damn time!


Johnson, Selia, Sonia, and Mattie


Sonia and Sel

In other news....
I've been asked to be Ruby's official wedding planner. Yep, that's right, ya'll someone FINALLY decided to trust me with their wedding. This is the break I've been waiting for. To say I'm excited is an understatement. Ruby's a bit apprehensive that our anal personalities will collide, however I ensured her that our friendship will remain in tact because I am accepting the fact that SHE is the bride. However, I must admit that initially I secretly hoped she would get a dress that would fit me too. (just so I could squeeze in it and pretend once in a while) All jokes aside, I plan on being very professional and providing her with as many options as I can. i completely understand that the final choice is hers!

I prepared a spreadsheet to keep the possibilities organized, and started making calls . I had so much fun saying, "My name is Susan, and I'm the wedding planner. Let me check with the bride on her availability and we'll get back with you." I have some leads, and next week, Ruby and I will be checking out a hall to see if it meets her needs. I'll have to find something "wedding planner-ish" to wear. ;)

A special thanks to Ruby for putting her wedding into my hands. I promise I will not fail you. This morning she text messaged me with a name for my business..."A Beautiful Day."...I like it cuz U2's song could be my theme song!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU....

I think it's Mattie's birthday. It's kinda hard to be A 100% certain when his wife's in Jamaica with him and unreachable at the moment. Regardless, I know his birthday is sometime this month and isn't it the thought that counts?

So, Mattie...on this (i think) your birthday, I'd like to wish you a very happy day and a blessed year! But, this day can't go by with out celebrating it with your very own invention...the Character Profile ~ Birthday Edition

Name: Dains

Nicknames: Dain-es, Da, Martha, Mattie, Kutha

Best Known for: decorating skills

Could win an Oscar for: his konjing act...oh and his eddy haskell skills infront of adults.

Funniest thing I've seen him do: grab a basket and sing "I'm off to Grandmother's house" as he skipped in place

His sidekick: the "prop"

Our bonding moment: When we went to CCL's and were forced to be silent since Ethan goes to sleep at 7:30 pm. The next morning, when we got into the car and shut the door, Mattie screamed his head off. I looked at him like he was nuts and asked him what the hell that was for. He replied, "I've been forced to be quiet so long I just wanted to make sure I still had a voice."

Mattie, you're the best! You always make me crack up and you've always been a great "go-to" person....thanks for being a wonderful friend. I wish you lots of happiness always!

6/6/06. I'm afraid the date's not phasing me. If anything, I hope that this IS the day that this world comes to an end. That would mean I wouldn't have to come to work tomorrow!

Per the advice from the peanut gallery, I'm working on some creative works for your reading pleasure. However, what started out as a short story is taking the form of a novella, so it might be a while till it's posted.

Pictures from this weekend... Angelina has proved to be a fearless baby. She's not scared of petting my 70 pound dog on its' mouth (unlike her Aunt Sonia, who was basically crying when she saw Mousse) and she's not scared of the water (unlike me, who took 2 swim classes and still doesn't know how to swim). I think she gets her bravery from her mother...no offense Q-tip! (I couldn't resist posting this picture of Q-tip's bare chest...although I know he will kill me for it later. We will call it pay back for the many times he has bafooned me. ;) And yah, I did get weird looks for basically being fully clothed in a pool.





Of course if you have a buncha goons telling you to look at the camera, you're going to turn around to look at those weirdos instead!

The goof troop and Angie

Happy Birthday to my dear friend, Syb! Sybil is so many things...she's a great mom, an awesome cook, a creative mastermind, a fearless leader, a caring soul, and a truly great friend. She always encourages me to keep going and keep it real! I'm grateful to have a friend like her because I know that on my best days and on my worst...she'll always be there for a hug, a kiss on the cheek, and support.

Syb, I wish you the happiest of happy birthdays! Thank you for being you!

So, I got some feedback from the peanut gallery and apparently my blog has become very predictable. According to one of my readers, I talk about Fridays too much. She said Monday - Thursday is like a count down to Friday and then Friday is all about it being Friday and complaining that it's not 4:45 yet. I guess I never realized how much I live for Fridays. So, I will try to do better with the blog...spice it up...get more creative. *please don't hold your breath while waiting for this to happen.*

I'll have to save a part of my weekend update for later since I forgot my card reader. I have some cute pictures to share!

Until then, I will discuss what I discovered this weekend. MTV doesn't play music videos! I got my cable upgraded. I know, it's shocking to believe I didn't have real cable for the past 31 years of my life! Now, if I can get a cable modem for my internet, I might be caught up with the rest of mankind. Anyway, I watched MTV for pretty much the entire weekend. It's amazing how much time you can waste watching one reality show after another. This cable thing might not be good for my current addiction. Anyway, I was a bit disappointed that I didn't see any music videos. Things have changed greatly from 15 years ago, when I used to sneak into my bros room when he was gone to watch his cable TV.

In other news, I watched the "Break Up" this weekend. It was great, but definitely a renter. Vince Vaughn has got to be the cutest thing ever! If you're Indian, Christian, and believe that you resemble Vince Vaugh in the slightest way, holla at a sista! ;)

Last but not least, I hilighted my hair this weekend. Actually, I had my beauty-school cousin, Les hilight it last weekend as well. But, that turned out horrendous. The higlights were bleach blonde. I think the color just sat in my hair way too long as she carefully foil wrapped it and all that jazz. So, we sent my cousin Ash run to the store and buy black dye. Surprisingly, I didn't freak out at the sight of my multicolored hair because I'm used to hair disasters by now. After my last cut, nothing surprises me. I recently got THAT terror fixed, by the way...so I thought I'd top off the new look with some auburn streaks. Anyhoo, after the drama of last weekend, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I bought some dye, a hilighting cap, and voila...I have perfect auburn highlights. Of course, they are really hard to see unless I'm in the sunlight...but tha'ts exactly how I wanted it...so I'm happy with the result. With all the cutting, coloring, daily frying, I do to my hair...it's a wonder i even have any left. =/

"Sue Aunty, have you ever gone to the Library before?"
I looked at Marissa all crazy-eyed when I replied, "Yes, at least a million times."
"I've never gone before. Just at school."



Well, summer is just not summer for an Indian kid if they aren't forced to go to the library and partake in summer reading. And by God...I want my niece to be a normal Indian kid! So, I swung by the library with the rugrats yesterday and got her her very own library card. We picked out a few books for Miss, a Barney video for Andrewji, and a Saul Bellow and chick-lit book for me! It was good times.

I was reading at stop-lights on the way to work, and I realized that reading chick-lit is really not fun for me anymore. I find myself dissecting the plot and the language. I figure that if I can guess what's going to happen within the first 2 chapters...the story is no good. So, we'll see if my predictions are right on this one.

It's Friday...*the heavens part and the angels sing*..."HA-LE-LU-JAH"...BF and Mattie are heading to Jamaica, mon. I'm insanely jealous. I know, I know...how can I complain when I have lake Hefner and the park in my neighborhood to keep me amused. =/ Anyhoo...I'm itchin to see the new Jennifer Anniston/ Vince Vaughn movie that opens today...perhaps I'll check it out this weekend.

I found a few more pics from Memorial Weekend that I thought I'd post!...

"Q-Tip" (Derrick), Julez, and me

Thinkin' pink...My niece and her crew (Alyssa and Jessica)

Quite possibly the cutest dog I've ever seen...Vinson and Shirley's new pup, Koby.

Shines and Wins trying to win 12,000 tickets at Incredible Pizza

Have a great weekend, all!

Gone are the good ol' days of summer vacation...

Here's a flashback from the past from Summer 1991...(I think) Gone are the days of summer vacation...waking up at 10, eating sugary cereal that turned my milk pink, watching my favorite talk shows and game shows until it was lunch time with chef boyardee, and then enjoying a fun-filled afternoon watching re-runs and soap operas. Those were the good old days. The days when my cousins used to spend several weeks and months of the summer with me or I with them. It was fun being a kid. I'm not sure how or why we amused each other so much...we never did much but fight occasionally, sucker each other into washing dishes, play devious tricks on each other, prank call poor, unsuspecting victims, and go to church constantly while in OKC.

But now, the reality of adulthood has smacked me in the face. The daily grind of the 8-5, cherished 3 days weekends, and 3 weeks of vacation that you have to use sparingly. Adulthood sucks.

Occasionally things remind me of my childhood...like my black faux-converse that I always wanted as a kid but never got,my bike, blue thunder, an email from one of my cousins filled with tidbits of useless information similar to the 5 page snail mail version from years past, the turtle friendship pin attached to my sneakers, and elastic skirts. =)