Dots!

I couldn't sleep last night so I got creative with my nails! Ya'll know I love me some polka dots!

Beef...that's what's NOT for dinner

So, ever year...at the beginning of the year...my church does the Daniel Fast.  Basically put, you partake in a vegan lifestlye for 21 days as you draw closer to Christ.  I thought this was a good option for me...Growing up in the Indian church, they always did "no food" fasts...and I never had the will power in to partake in that.  This seemed like a happy medium...even for a carnivore like me!

I have survived my first week.  I thought food would be the big challenge...but it's not.  Things like vegetable curries & veggie burgers have been my saving grace.  But even more difficult than dealing with the lack of meat and dairy...has been the new conviction that God has given me to stop watching REALITY TV!!  If you know me, you know that it is my guilty pleasure...and i'm a junkie.  But in this week, God has shown me that it's a waste of time, and spending time with him is more important and beneficial than spending time lounging on my couch watching TV.  This is especially difficult since my boy Pauly D is on a new season of Jersey shore!!

If you happen to know any great vegan recipes...please let me know!!  Oh, and I'm up to read some good books now too...since I've got some time!

My new bling...

Some girls are obsessed with shoes, purses, diamonds, rubies...and I'm obsessed with junk jewlery.  Please note the fabulous ring on my finger in the picture below (although I know my super cute mouse pad is probably distracting you.)  My mom told me the other day that I wear the ugliest rings...and I told her "Thank you." If my mom thinks something is ugly...it's almost guaranteed that it's actually pretty cute!  I like unusual rings...and I found this one at one of my all time favorite accessory shopping stores...Forever 21. Now..if I could only grow my finger nails so my hand wouldn't look like a little Indian boy who has a bow ring on his finger!

Sometimes I think this dogs of mine knows things.  She didn't sleep all night last night because she knew something was up...Marissa & Andrew were packing their suitcases last night to go home this morning.  They had to catch an early flight back...and Mousse was restless all night.  Her lack of sleep last night made me lose sleep...so although it's only 8 pm, we're both ready for some zzzz's!

It's been so nice to have an extra day off from work today... My shoulders and neck have been so tense lately that I find myself getting migraines a lot.  While my nephew has been in town, I've been having him walk on my back.  But, it hasn't been doing the trick...so I went to the mall today for a massage by one of the Asian guys who stand in the middle of the mall and do chair massages.  The dude beat the living shiz out of my shoulders and back...but it felt uh-mazing!  It was the best twenty bucks I've spent in a long time.  (even though I have a bruise on my back from the dude's elbow!)  Afterwards...I went to the bookstore...I've been looking for a good Christian book to dive into...I chose Crazy Love by Francis Chan.  So far...it's pretty excellent.  I'll review it more once I'm finished...so stay tuned!

Happy 2012!

I spent the last night of 2011 getting pummeled by my nephew, Andrew while playing the Wii game...Just Dance.  Who was I kidding to think I could dance, anyway?  After getting slaughtered, we all watched the ball rise in OKC (yah, I know...most balls drop.  We do everything backwards!)  and popped poppers to ring in the new year! 

And now here we are...2012!  I refuse to use the word "resolution"...because I feel like resolutions are made to be broken.  However, I do have several goals that I've set for myself year.  They are quite lofty...and as I work on them...I'll talk about it here.

Yes, here...I plan to use this space more often than I did in 2011. It may not always be interesting...but there will be something here for those of you who have stuck with me since 05!  Happy New Year, Blogosphere!

I always new that my munchkin, Madison was born to be a SUPERSTAR...

and apparently the producers of the daytime talk show, The Doctors agree.  Her video of her cochlear activation was discovered by them on youtube, and they thought it was just as special as we did!  So they decided to air a clip from it on their show on Monday, November 14th!  Check your local listing...to check out the little Superstar in her first debut!



All Shook Up...Literally!

I was just sitting down to write this post when I heard a rumble outside...not uncommon during a thunderstorm.  But then I felt the rumble under my feet, I knew it was happening again...another earthquake.  I've spent the majority of my life in Oklahoma City...which means I'm used to things like tornados, ice storms, and in recent years...blizzards.  I never in a zillion years would think I'd need to worry about earthquakes! 
But Friday night...I woke up to one.  I thought it was Moussey scratching her neck while she lay in bed...but Moussey wasn't in bed.  She was standing near my bed staring at me...if she could talk, I'm most positive that she'd be saying, "WTF?!"  My vision was wobbly for a good two minutes...as my head wobbled...but, I was half asleep and told myself that I'd check on line in the morning to see if OKC had an earthquake.  The next morning I checked facebook..and sure enough it was confirmed. 4.7

The next night...round two.  This time, it was only 11 pm.  People were awake...in fact they were running out of their apartments yelling.  Me and Moussey stared at each other...and again...her face had it written all over it..."WTF?!"  I gotta admit...that one really shoook me up...no pun intended.  It scared the beejeeezus out of me.  And the neighbors running around outside didn't calm my nerves a bit.  This one was bigger...5.6.

So here we are...Monday night.  I thought the earthquakes were now a thing of the past...on to the next set of worries...tornado warnings all over the state.  I sat down to write about my earth quake experience...and whaddaya know!...round three.  This time, I'm certain this building swayed.

I think I'm finished freaking out about this...I'm going to go to bed...but not before a prayer....
Now I lay me down to sleep...
I pray the Lord my soul to keep...
If I should die before I wake...
I pray the Lord my soul to take...

What Delights You?

It's been so long since I've blogged that I actually forgot my password!  I talked to some rather annoyed readers this weekend, who threatened bodily harm if I did not write a new post...so here I am. =)  As I've said a zillion times, it's really difficult to write posts on a daily/weekly/monthly basis when your life is really routine and you're trying to maintain two blogs.  I rarely have "misadventures" these days...so there isn't much to write about. I was watching Oprah's "Soul Sunday" today and she asked a question..."What delights you?"  I decided to run with it...  Here are the top 5 things that delight me...

Frozen yogurt.  It doesn't matter if it's 190 degrees (like this summer) or -190 degrees (like this winter will most likely be).  Frozen yogurt ALWAYS makes me smile.

Crafting things.  For the past few Sundays, I've had some free time, so I've been going to Michael's...(don't worry, I still love Hobby Lobby, but it's closed on Sundays)...I purchased some inexpensive items...brought them home...and spent the afternoon making things. It always delights me to see the end product.  Lately, I've been finding owls quite cute, so I made this for my kitchen.

 Mousse.  I find her simply delightful in the morning...she loves to snuggle up and be sweet.

 baby's with luscious cheeks!  This is my boy...(well actually, NC's boy)...Tyson.  I got to hang out with him and his big sis, Tessa this weekend.  Holding babies and smelling their sweet baby scent is sooo delightful!

 Last...but not least...I love finding funky, fun rings.  Junk jewlery...delights me!

CCL and I were talking today about how life with out internet access is not a life worth living.  Well...we didn't say that in so many words, but  we were just talking about how inconvenient it is and how helpless you feel with out it.  It made me realize just how much things have changed  from back in the day and how different things are for kids today.  I can't believe I'm saying phrases like "kids today" and "back in the day"...but I guess it's officially official...I. AM. OLD.


So, I decided to discuss a few ways that life has changed over the past 3 decades of my life...


1.  Phone books...They're not completely obsolete.  I still see them on my doorstep occasionally.  I either toss it, or store it under my couch for safe keeping.  But, I can't remember the last time I've used one!  Actually I take that back...they used to have coupons for a free drink with lunch at Mazzios, so me and the BOC girls would round up all the yellow pages before we went to lunch. =)  But, as for seeking a  phone number...it's been aeons!


2.  Actually...the word "aeons" brings me to my next one...dictionaries!  I had no idea how to spell that word...so just googled it with how I thought it would be spelled "eons"...and learned that it had a silent "a."  I remember "back in the day"...we had to buy these $25 dictionaries for school.  My English teacher always demanded we look up the words we couldn't spell...which I found very annoying...I mean how do you look up a word when you can't spell it?  It's no wonder that it took me forever to figure out that the word outfit was not spelled a-l-p-h-e-t. 


3.  "Kids today" think they have it tough when they have to write papers.  Uh, yah right...try having to go to  the library to do research in actual books and journals that you actually have to flip the pages of.   And try typing your paper and using correction fluid when you screw up instead of hitting backspace!  I have no pity for any of you!!


4.  Emails/Webcam...If these things were invented when I was a kid, it would have saved me from so much trouble!  I would have never gotten in trouble for calling my cousins too much and hiking up the phonebill...nor would I have had to write my cousins letters on paper and watch out for snail mail to avoid our letters being intercepted and read by our nosy brothers.


5.  Cell phones.  Why on God's green earth was there that in between stage with  pagers?!?  Pagers were really retarded...basically you'd be calling someone's pager device to tell them to call you.  Why couldn't you just call the person directly?  I remember my pager code (instead of my phone #) (because it wasn't cool to put your phone #) was 500....or "soo"...or sue (in my clever little mind).  A few weeks ago, I was driving home from Dallas...alone...and was completely FREAKED OUT when I realized that my phone had no range for like 2 hours of my 3 hour trip.  Although I used to drive like that all the time "back in the day"...and it never phased me then.  But even with cell phones, there is a hierachy.  I'm ashamed to say, that my sweet munchkin, Madison operates her mom's cell phone with ease...however, I don't even know how to answer it when it rings.  And when she sees my phone, she looks at me like "Where's all the apps, Sueny??  Moses called and he wants his cell phone back!"


6.  GPS...need I go on?  I mean, I've gotten lost in my neighborhood before.  This is obviously vitally essential for someone like me.  I don't even know how I survived "back in the day."  I used to drive to Dallas and get directions from CCL, and then get directions from CCL on how to get from Dallas to Houston.  Once I was in Houston, I'd ask Mikey how to get back to Dallas, and then in Dallas, ask CCL how to get to OKC.  Confused?  I was too!  That's why I kept getting lost!!!


7.  Straight Iron.   "Kids today" think they have problems with bullying?  Try being a frizzy haired brown girl in a predominately white, cowboy/cowgirl school!!!  When I think about how different my life could have been if only the straight iron was invented ten years earlier...it brings real tears to my eyes!!!!


8.  DVR...this has been the one new invention in my time that has impacted my life the most.  I don't know how I functioned before and will never go back to a life without it.  I mean watching my TV shows without dealing with commercials is better than candy!


I could go on forever...but I will end here.  Sometimes...I wonder what's next!  I just hope to see the day when I can shift my car into fly mode!

I've realized over the years that I'm one of "those" people.  You all know the kind...The kind that people start talking to and end up saying way too much to.  I'm not sure what it is about me that makes people want to confess to me.  If I believed in reincarnation, I'd think I was a priest in a former life. 

I recently met someone, and every time I talk to her, I make her cry.  I always apologize, and she always assure me that she enjoys our talks and appreciates that she can trust me enough to talk so openly.  Her honesty never bothers me...but, I'm always left feeling guilty when I see her tears.

It's one thing when your friends spill their beans...all their beans...but when total strangers do...it's a completely different story...a scary story at that!  I was sitting at a hair salon minding my own business.  I couldn't have been sitting there for more than a minute and a half when the lady sitting two seats down beckoned me to come sit by her.  As I scooted down...I began to wonder if I knew her.  And I was positive that I didn't.  I have a sick memory when it comes to peoples/faces/names...and her's was not one that I knew....because trust me, I woulda remembered her face.

She leaned over...into my personal space...and began whispering to me.  I couldn't hear a word she was saying...nor could I read her lips...but she kept sticking her cell phone in my face so I knew she wanted me to look at it.  It was a text...from some guy.  He was telling her she was beautiful.  I definitely did not concur.  She kinda looked witch like and scary as she whispered dramatically in my face.  I guess she could tell I couldn't hear her...and she apologized and said she didn't want the others to hear her.  My question was...WHY DID SHE WANT ME TO HEAR?!?

She talked louder, but her accent was so thick.  I could only make out about 15% of what she was saying, but the texts she kept showing me helped me figure out what she was saying.  So, what was she saying?  Apparently she was divorced and the scarf she was wearing was given to her by her daughter...who went to Italy with her ex and bought the scarf ...and she had 3 men who were just her friends, but she was in love with one...and they were all in love with her.  She didn't like the one who said she was beautiful because she didn't know his true insides...she said he saw her standing somewhere and noticed her butt.  Then she proceeded to stand up and show me how she was standing.  I kept looking at her face and she insisted that I look at her butt. "Look!  Look at it!," she said emphatically! At that point...I was sure Ashton Kutcher was going to pop out of somewhere and tell me that I was being punked.  And then I remembered, I'm not a celebrity...and Ashton only punks celebrities.

Then she told me about each man, their professions, and what kind of cars they had...Fifteen minutes couldn't pass by any slower!  My eardrums were tired from straining, and my mind was spinning as I considered how strange humans could be!  Just as she was telling me strange things about her thong,  my hairstylist, Chi, (no pun intended...that's REALLY her name!)  finally called my name, and I basically ran to her chair.  It was definitely a straaaange experience, but I was kinda glad it happened.  I knew it was just the kind of story my blog needed!  I know this sounds like fiction...and I have been known to make up a story or two in my time...but some things...you just can't make up!

She's so Smurfy!

I've never been a a huge Smurf fan in the past.  Yes, I watched the cartoons, but it bugged me how they slaughtered English grammar with the word Smurf...which is obviously a noun, but then they'd use it as a verb, adverb, and adjective whenever they smurfed like it!  But, when the movie came out this summer, I was overcome with nostalgia and I really wanted to see it.  The only reason I didn't is because my niece and nephew didn't want to because they really didn't know what a Smurf was.  And I didn't want to be an adult going to a kid movie with out a kid.  When I found out McD's was bringing back the smurf figurines out with their happy meals...I was so excited.  It just brought me back to my childhood years...and I just had to get my hands on one.  And so I urged my nephew to have a happy meal one night...and he gladly handed me over the smurf.  I took it to work to put on my shelf...and before I knew it...people were bringing me their kids' smurfs!  And now, I have quite a collection.  Yesterday, my buddy made my collection complete by swiping Smurfette from her 2 year old!  She's the one I really wanted and so getting her simply made my day!  Do I feel ashamed for taking a 2 year olds toy?  Slightly, but not really! 

So, if your kid happens to have a Papa Smurf or a Brainy Smurf  laying around the house, my birthday is coming up...and I can't think of anything I want more...well, actually I can...but hey, I'm pretty easy to please!



I do stupid things...People who know me are well aware of my stupid antics...wearing things inside out, wearing mismatched shoes..these are just a few of the stupid things that I do.  Recently, I topped myself...and did the stupidist thing ever!!!

On my first day at work, I had to make long ins, passwords, and security questions to a few zillion websites that I use at work on a daily basis.  Only now, do I use all of them...I basically had to learn one site at a time.  So a few days ago, I was asked to sign  on to a particular site.  It kept rejecting my password and forced me to answer some security questions.  The first question that popped up was ridiculous..."What was the name of the street you lived on in 3rd grade?"

Uh, who the heck knows?!?  I basically moved every year as a kid...and although I have a great memory for useless information...that is not something I remember.  So I vehemently told myself and all my colleagues that I did not set up these questions!!  They told me to call the customer service for assistance...and I did.  Of course, they ask me to answer the security questions so they can reset my password.  But, I tell them that is impossible because I never set up the questions and I don't know the answers. 

I got frustrated and hung up with these people/called them back/hung up/called them back...FOUR TIMES!!  On the fourth try...the customer service lady had a little mercy on me.  She said there were three questions...and said she'd ask me another one.  I told her it didn't matter because I didn't set the questions up.  It was obviously a conspiracy!!  So, she said..."let's just try it"..."If you can answer two of the three...I can reset you."  I sighed DEEPLY.  And then she asked, "What's the name of your first pet?" 

"Mousse?"  and she said yes.  I wondered how that could possibly be right when I never set up the questions...the conspiracy plot thickened!  And then she asked me the final question, "What's your childhood nickname?"  "Sue?"  She said...no, it's not Sue...but it certainly ISN'T something I'd want to be called.

My eyes widened...in sheer and utter horror and humiliation.  Could it be??  Noooo...please God...NOOOO!  "FATTY?!?!?!?!" 

Needless to say, I have a new password.  Not only did I look like a fool for telling everyone that I did not set up my security questions...but, I set one up with the most embarrassing nickname!!  ANDDDD...the biggest big mouth who sits next to me heard the entire conversation and made sure to tell the rest of my team!!

I'm mad at myself for thinking a security question would only be seen by me...and I'm mad at my siblings for making up such a horrifying nickname, and I'm mad at me for answering them when they called me that...and I'm mad that I always seem to get myself into the most ridiculous situations!

Just got back from watching "the Help"...it's one of those rare movies that people actually feel the need to clap at the end.  Now I definitely want to read the book to see how much better it is!  As I was trying to find a seat in the theater, some lady stopped me and asked me if my name was Mariamma.  When I said no, she said I looked like someone she used to work with.  So, what that told me is that I apparently look 50 years old or older...because God knows no one in their 30's is named Mariamma. That's what I get for leaving the house with my hair in a bun looking like a scrub. 
I realized I have no consistent "look."  I'm part tom-boy and part girly-girl.  I love fixing my hair, wearing make-up, and accessorizing when I deem it necessary. But, I also love wearing boys basketball shorts with one of my worn, old, favorite t-shirts.  I tend to lean toward my tom-boy side more regularly...but, I think that needs to stop.  It's not doing me any favors. 

Anyhoo...good luck to all the students out there in the blogosphere who are starting school tomorrow!  Just remember..."you is kind...you is smart...and you is important!!!"  Words to live by! =)

The summer is officially O-ver.  My niece and nephew were here for two months and their departure always marks the end of summer for me.  Unfotunately, that doesn't end the heat wave...but I guess I'll take 110 degrees over blizzards and ice.  The weeks are a blur these days now that i'm a working woman again.  I'm pretty much busy from the time I sit down at my desk until it's quitting time.  And oddly enough, I love it!  I usually have this 1-3 month period of time when I start a new job where I'm quiet and sort of feeling things out and figuring people out.  That period is officially over and I've unleashed the "true" Sue. 

I have never worked anywhere that co-workers have called me Sue.  To me, allowing someone to call me that name indicates some kind of relationship or closeness.  At school and work, I've always been Susan...no matter how much I dislike that name.  (sorry to all you Susans out there in the blogosphere)
My nickname has always been reserved to family and friends.

It's caused quite a bit of confusion in the past...But, in a way it's like my two identities...my "professional" one and my "personal" one....although I am who I am pretty much everywhere I am.  (Whoa...did that make sense?)  Anyway...all this to say...they call me Sue at my new job.  And it's really strange.  It's been over a month and I'm still not used to it.  Oddly enough, sometimes I don't even respond because I mentally expect to be called Susan!  That's probably the craziest part!  I have so many nicknames...Poo, Q, Suey, SueVee, Sushi, etc...and I respond to all of them.  But, I can't train my brain to accept being called Sue at work!! 

The other day we were talking about people in high school who now go by different names on facebook...and how strange it is to call someone something you've never called them before.  I could totally relate to that conversation because a lot of people from high school contact me on FB and call me Sue... and it just seems unnatural and strange!  One of these days...I'll get a handle on what my name is!

Happy 3rd birthday to my favorite munchkin!!  We got to hang out while she was in Okc for six weeks and had a great time...We all got so attached to her spunky spirit and funny ways! 

 Maddicakes, I hope you enjoy your 3rd birthday!  You're growing up so fast!  I am so proud of you and all the things you have accomplished in just three short years!  I love you SO much!...Love, Sueny...oh, and Matt Uncle, Missa Chechi, Andrew Chacha, Mookey...and Jerome! ;)

I'm a person who enjoys lists...grocery lists, task lists, meals for the week lists, books to read lists...  So, recently I decided to create a bucket list.  It's not very long...and not filled with impossible goals.  I started talking to a friend who said she also created a bucket list...and was about to do one of the items on her list.  She gave me a nudge to do one of my items...and maybe do it together. 
Well, she's doing it next week...and I'm still trying to work the courage up to do mine.  We agreed to knock off our bucket list together...as much as possible...and then she gave me the ok to blog about it.  I thought it would be fun for the blogosphere to be a part of our misadventures.

But now, the problem is....me!!  I have to gain the "chutzpah" to actually do the first thing!  See...I don't even have the chutzpah to tell you guys what it is!!  If I do it, it's probably the 1st decision I've made for myself...irregardless of other people's advice or opinions.  Yep, my first big girl decision!  So leave me some encouragement in the comment box below!!

New pictures are up on my other site!  Check out the latest princess party I have been working on! 
In other news...about a year ago...my friend Sheryl's little boy, Elijah learned how to say the word "kundi"...which means butt in Malayalam.  Since it was a new word...and it sounds funny...he really enjoyed saying it.   Repeatedly.  His grandma didn't approve.  Afterall, it's like letting your kid walk around saying "ass"  all day.  Not appropriate.  So, she asked Elijah why he was saying the word...and more importantly, who taught him to say it.  To which he replied, "Sue Aunty."  Now when Sheryl told me this...I wasn't too surprised. Afterall, the child is hers.  And making up fictitious stories to get me in trouble obviously runs in his blood!

But today BF told me a story...apparently my little munchkin, Madison was asking for me.  She misses all her OKC friends and family after spending 6 weeks with us.  But, she also was asking for "Jerome."  Her mom asked her who Jerome was and who told her about him...and she said, "Sueny!" 

I think these kids are all conspiring against me...

So in case you were wondering about my weigh in Wednesdays...err, what happens is...I gain the five pounds that I lose every weekend and lose it over the week...gain it over the weekend.  So things aren't going too well.  But, I'm still trying.  In fact, I spent the evening making health lunches for the week.  But then again, the weekdays aren't really the problem. =/

Anyway, it's been an exhausting weekend...After setting up a princess party, fighting the crowds at the outlets, moving into the new building for work, and making lunches for the week...I'm truly out for the count.  I hear my pillow whispering my name, but found a request on facebook asking for a new blog post.  And I just couldn't let him down. 

So OKC just built a new outlet mall...which is pretty much where everyone in the entire city was this weekend!  Parking was brutal...and the lines were even worse.  The only store I really wanted to go to was the Coach outlet...but there was a line just to get in the store!  It was a 112 degrees out on Saturday, so I wasn't about to stand out there and fry for a new purse that I probably don't really need!!  It's interesting because when I talk to Sunu in Kuwait...she tells me how the news in Kuwait is always about how bad the economy is and will become in the U.S...I also talked to a friend in London today, and he said the same thing!  But the way people shop...you would never know that here!!  Supposedly we should be saving and preparing ourselves for complete disaster...but instead, people are standing in line for 45 minutes in 112 degrees to buy a Coach purse.  What up with that?!?

Well folks, that's about it for my adventures this weekend...stay tuned to see how the week pans out!  Will keep you posted...right now, I'm giving in to the call of my precious pillow!

Pictures!

Merly's going away/ 2nd anniversary party....Merly, Shines, and the creeper behind them.

cutting the cake...

 

The family...plus us.

 

 Me & NC...on her birthday.  This is typically what happens...I say something to crack her up just before the camera clicks. I'm composed...she's cracking up.

 2nd try...

 Me and my BF's...haven't taken a picture like this (that turned out decently) in soooo long!