Thursday, January 29, 2009

GOLD!

Over the weekend one of the things I did was go to a Gold Party. Have you heard of these things? I hadn't. I had heard commercials on the radio about jewelry stores that would buy your jewelry but not house parties.

Remember Tupperware parties? Well, this was a bunch of women showing up at a friends house where 2 jewelers sat at her dinning room table and tested and weighed our pieces and paid us in check or cash for whatever we chose to sell them. HUH!? Exactly. I went with another girlfriend and we figured if we got $50 bucks that would be a lot. We did not have very high expectations.
I took junk. I mean I took earrings that had lost pairs, old awful stuff that I had since I was a kid but now think is hideous, some broken necklaces that I wasn't going to get fixed because I didn't even like them anymore. Most of what I gave him I thought was fake, some of it was and he handed it back to me. I took only one bracelet and my high school ring that I new were 'good'. Are you ready to hear what I got? Drum roll please...prrrrrrrrrrr......$515! I could not believe it. My girlfriend got $315. We were shocked. One woman took a necklace to just find out if it was any good. She'd worn it once. She got over $800 for it! Needless to say, we were very impressed. So impressed that my girlfriend and I are going to co-host a party ourselves. Obviously, the host gets a commission from the jewelers. It's all good!
Cuz let me tell you honey, Obama can do what he will for the economy but I know Uncle Sam isn't going to knock on my door and bail me out. A girls gotta bail herself outta this mess. So, why hang on to broken and mismatched pieces? No more. Sell it for cash. I did and I am going to spread the word to my friends.
Now, I can afford some of that comfort and joy ;)

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Group fun

So I have been thinking more and more about this Comfort and Joy business. There really are quite a few things what give me Comfort and Joy.

Like relaxed time with people. I enjoy being with people vs. being alone. That is if I can be relax and not stressed about it and that's not to say that I can't enjoy being alone. But I prefer people. I like chatting with people, people watching, listening and laughing.

So, how do I do more of this from now on. Well, let's see I already meet with some girlfriends on a monthly basis. I have set up gatherings with others and their elders to teach us how to cook traditional dishes and pass on the recipes. I get together with another group of friends on a regular (every other month) and try out restaurants in our area. I also try to get together for game nights and card nights. Those each happen maybe every other monthish too.

So, my only pastimes that don't have groups formed to share them with is reading (was previously in a book club) and crafting. Now I'm not sure I'm up to a book club again but maybe a few of us could get together on a whatever basis and craft. Maybe. I have to think about that one. I'll let you know.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Comfort and Joy

Through the entire holiday season I hummed bits of of the song God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. I'm not even sure if that's the name but you know the song that I mean. The other song I was humming a lot was Joy to the World, I don't know why these 2 particular song but those were the songs that got stuck in my head this season and I still find myself humming them. On top of the humming I have been finding myself asking myself - will it bring comfort or joy- before or even while I am doing something. It's making me think twice about a few things. The answer is also driving some of my actions.

It doesn't necessarily have to bring me comfort & joy. I truly enjoy making other people happy; that honestly brings me joy. I know that sounds corny and I'm not trying to be PC or anything. But its what I like to do. I don't like things and people to be stressed. I like easy feeling, relax about it, enjoy and be happy stuff.

I can relate to anything. Family, friends, work, hobbies. All of it. So I think that's going to be the focus this year. Comfort & Joy. I haven't made a hard and fast resolution this year but I have been thinking the year may end up being focused on Comfort & Joy. Of course, patience is the theme of my life. I always need patience.

I'll keep you posted on things I do that bring me and/or others Comfort & Joy.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

MUST CALM DOWN!

OMG! I know that my face is red. It must be I can feel the heat. My internal temperature gauge must be off the charts. Hell, I even feel the beginnings of a headache coming on. The boss' wife came in to work today. Did you know that she was coming? Did he tell you? She spent the 4 frickin hours she was here asking me (& someone else) to "show me something, let me help you". WTH! What were we supposed to give her to do? how to answer the phone? make copies? She sat next to me while I typed a dang letter. Tried to do one one on her own. OMG! I want to poke my eyes out with a paper clip! At a minimum hang me from the highest tree in Miami! OMG! This is going to be a nightmare. I am ready to walk if it weren't for that dang mortgage I have to pay every month! PLEASE GIMME PATIENCE!

Thursday, January 08, 2009

Changes

I'm playing wiht my blog. The look...the lists that will be kept etc. You will see a few more changes and then I will go back to posting. Have patience... ;)

Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Cheers and tears

Happy New Year! The party was a blast. We missed some friends who were out of town but a good time was had by all.

19 who was sick last year and missed out on the fun had a great time. Everyone thought he had been body snatched because he danced. And not just with his girlfriend. With his cousin, his aunt and his grandmother and to salsa music. He even sang along with the song shocking his grandmother. It was lots of fun. I again tried to get everyone to dance and was only partially successful this year. My nephew, age 6, was the life of the party. He danced with EVERYONE and anyone. He was adorable. At one point he was dancing with one of 19s friends girlfriend and I told him that she had a boy friend. He made a scary face, like he might be in trouble. The girl (and I) laughed and she told him that it was OK, he could dance with her and I wish you could have seen the smug look he gave me. It was priceless!

16 danced some too but spent most of the night hanging with his friends and helping with the managing of the music selections. A friend of his was the DJ.

After all the cheers the next day we slept and sat around recapping the party, we think there were 57 revelers this year. Some friends came over to watch Bowl games, eat leftovers and I made breakfast for dinner. They opted for Crepes with (leftover) strawberries and chocolate and bacon. Gratefully, Friday I had the day off and more dragging around the house was done as well as lots of laundry. Loads and loads were done so that 19 could take everything back clean. I also made for the first time Frijoles Colorados. They came out awesome! Saturday I packed for 19 and we went to friends' house for more football watching. It was 19s last night. A large group of kids met up where we were to go out on his last night and bid him farewell (as if they needed an excuse to go out).

I had been struggling with the thought of him leaving for days already and here it was. We were up at 5am to take him to the airport. He got home at 4:30, slept (I use the word loosely) in his clothes and when I woke him simply brushed his teeth and went back to sleep in the back seat of the car. At the airport all 3 of us were pretty quiet. As we waited in line to check his bags I was seeing armed forces personnel around us with their families. My heart swelled for them. I wanted to say something. But what do I say. Thanks.? Good luck.? Every time I thought about it I couldn't open my mouth to form the words because I was so emotional already I know I would have broken down right then and there. None of us wanted this parting. As we gave our last hugs all of us got teary eyed and swallowed hard to hold back the tears. We stayed until he passed through the security check just cuz. And slowly walked away once he was out of sight, now the tears could flow freely. We weren't the only ones crying. Tears were everywhere.

And now he's there. I'm here. He called when he landed to let us know that those people up there don't know what the hell the sun looks like. All he kept hearing was that it was a great day the sun was out. When he walked outside it was cold and grey. We laughed as I reminded him that he can't compare it to The Sunshine State. To make the best of it. Different isn't bad, it's just different.

I have already looked at airfare for him to return on Spring Break and plan on booking it soon. Please gimme patience.