Saturday, January 31, 2009

G.O. (Girls Only) Day

I was nervous. Suspend your disbelief. How can your AGOL be nervous with a simple thing that was all her idea? Sprinkles was having a playdate with her cousin's (almost) 10-year old daughter Kristen...

It took a little planning and googling to make sure I was ready to pick up Kristen at her dance class and at the correct address. A quick phone call to her mother while driving in the parking lot assured me of the little details as to which building in the cluster of buildings she was taking her class. After parking and walking inside, I felt weird. Weird because I didn't know what to expect and the fact that I wasn't a mom coming to pick up her own kid. Could the other moms tell? Probably not. They were probably wondering who was the overdressed chick with supershine lipgloss. Eh.

Thirty minutes later, this beautiful baby gazelle and I were on the way to Ybor City for a decadent lunch at La Creperia. The restaurant was busy from the extra Super Bowl visitors around town, but we managed to get a table. The waitress recognized me from my last visit. Kristen and I shared a savory breakfast crepe as well as a sweet one. In between bites, I gave her a lesson on how to properly set a table. She demonstrated back the lesson very well.

Our bellies full, we toddled a couple of blocks through the burgeoning throng of people gathering on Super Bowl Eve. I couldn't believe how many Steelers fans there were milling the street! Tawny opened the doors to the art building for us and in minutes we were creating with plastic clay. We listened to Tawny give us the lesson and guide us through the process. Kristen and I listened like greedy children being given rare candy.

Kristen's plaques: Nature & A Mermaid. Didn't she do a great job?! She is awesome.


AGOL's plaques: Love & Miracles


While we waited for all the paint and metallic rubs to dry, we three took a short jaunt to Gameworks where we played arcade games and won enough tickets to redeem for prizes. I made sure Kristen picked a toy for her younger brother and another to share with him. She conned me into taking us to Marble Slab Creamery down the way for ice cream. The little ghoul ordered Chocolate Swiss topped with gummi bears. Ewwwww.

While we three enjoyed our cool treats, I called Kristen's mom to give her a status report and let her know we would be home around an hour. We went back to the art building, gathered our new pieces of art and made our way through the Latin Quarter to garage where the spaces that were vacant before our lunch was now packed like sardines. Tampa was definitely enjoying hosting this great sporting event.

SuperBowl Eve in Ybor City's "Centro Ybor". Steeler's fans were everywhere! It was barely 6pm.


The drive home was a discussion on future art days together and the favorites of the day. Kristen's favorite was making the plaques. For me, it was the whole day of seeing her enjoy more of the world.
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Saturday, January 24, 2009

Reunion at Disney

Why did I ever agree to get my hair done at 9am? The salon was on the other side of town about 25 miles. I was miraculously 10 minutes early for Tania (tah-neeyah) who was surprised to see me. I have a lot of hair to darken which takes time. The warm red I have enjoyed was starting to annoy me and the cover-up of the old blonde hair at the bottom third was looking tired. It was time for a change to darken my tresses. I also felt that I needed to be taken more seriously. There is something about darker hair that exudes a perception of a higher IQ. (Don't argue with me - you know your AGOL is correct.)

My new hair color looks like a dark wine (almost black) indoors, but when the sun hits it I feel like a Japanese anime character. The sun illuminates the color into a brilliant wine. Dig it! It is a perfect foil for my geisha white skin - not to mention to goes well with my new wine lipgloss. Helloooooooooooooooooo Shallowville! After the hair came the trip to the nail salon. More Shallowville.

Truth be told, I could have waited for both appointments but I was meeting my old friend Trish from San Francisco in Orlando where she and her boyfriend were staying at a Disney resort to spend time with his family for a few days. It has been about 12 years since I have seen Trish in person and I wanted to put my best foot forward. She did the same thing the past few days, too.

The bad part was that their flight came in at 7:35pm at Orlando International. By the time they settle in it would be about 9pm. She made dinner reservations at 9:30pm. I tried to prepare for the lateness in things by taking an hour nap in the afternoon to make my drive easier. You may recall I suffer from night blindness which increases when I am tired.

Did I tell you I also had to drive to the other side of Tampa for a Korean dinner at Kim's for 5:30pm? I made it on time and ate some homemade delicacies including seasoned sesame leaves which was a pleasant surprise. My excuses were made to the dinner party a little after 7pm. I still had to stop at the store to get Trisha some much needed underwear her boyfriend forgot to pack. She called me while I was at the salon earlier in the day for the favor. I also bought a 4-pack of Starbuck's doubleshot espresso and drank one on the way to Orlando. Damn my car really zooms at 80mph or was that the caffeine?

Trish's boyfriend met me in the lobby and led us back to their room where a teary-eyed Trish greeted me. It would seem that time stopped on our faces since the last time we saw each other. Funny how our faces haven't really aged. The moment was surreal.

We honored our dinner reservations with a decadent meal. My Korean feast was still settling in my stomach so I had a small appetizer to go with the extra large margarita I was drinking. We had planned on me staying over, but it didn't work out. Several texts to Tawny back and forth had her worried about my late drive home. I was thankful she took my doggie out twice and asked her to leave my key under the mat. My drive home began after midnight and got home safely thanks to a long conversation on the way home with Angie in LA and another can of doubleshot espresso.

I have mixed feelings about my reunion with Trish. While our faces have not aged, our personalities have and trying to reconnect in a matter of a few hours was not enough to re-establish things. Still we made do and she very much wants me to visit her in San Francisco. We'll see. I was safely home at 2am.

Coffee injections should be invented, legalized and sold commercially. Just saying.
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Friday, January 23, 2009

Hmmm...Crepes

Gal pal Tawny met me by my car this morning so we could start our second day of adventure at my hairdresser's. She was redeeming the gift card I gave her for Christmas to get a fresh cut for future job interviews. Her new do is quite cute and sassy I must say! While I was waiting, I selected a new color to replace the bright auburn I have been sporting since September 2007. My appointment was set for 9am the next morning.

We arrived at the art building in downtown Ybor (Tampa's Latin Quarter) near noon. We checked in with the other building principal and told her we would be back after lunch. The news was met with an unpleasant sniff. Methinks she may be a little put off by my presence since I have been commandeering Tawny's attention. I don't really care. I took two days off to help Tawny unpack and rearrange her work room. This additional help was needed more now that her husband hurt his back and has been on bed rest and painkillers. Soon we made our way for a proper breakfast/lunch (brunch!), but there was one stop at a retro/vintage shop filled with 1980's clothing. I can't believe my teens are now labeled "retro". Good God.

Our rumbling tummies were satiated at La Creperia Cafe where dozens of sweet and savory mouthwatering crepe selections were awaiting us. We both selected savory breakfast crepes made with whole wheat. Our coffees were paired with one sweet sweet crepe we shared. All this feasting lasted us throughout the afternoon and early evening.



Another sniff of disdain greeted us when we got back. I quickly changed into some "work clothes" that I wouldn't mind getting dusty and dirty. At some point Tawny and I were helping with this lady's stuff which pissed off Tawny's husband when he found out since I was there to help Tawny not her. We figured we'd hurry, do a couple of hours of work and just get it done so we wouldn't have to listen to her moan about it further. Eventually we accomplished the goal of getting things unpacked, off the floor and cleared off the tables so Tawny and Jeff could start making art in their room right away. The room now is airier and ready for some creativity.

After I dropped off Tawny from another fun-filled adventure, I settled in for the evening and reheated my leftover crepe which was still yummy. I discovered that my central air was not working at all: no heat or cold air blew from the vents as in no fan coming on. Grrr. The complex was lucky I didn't call them that late. Cooler temps were still dancing about our city and the needed repair was not high on my list. Mind you they just replaced the thermostat before Thanksgiving I think. Well, that will be another lovely call for service. At least I feel like I am getting my money's worth on my rent.
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Thursday, January 22, 2009

The Heat is On

The heat is finally turned on in the Sprinkles household. I was loathed to turn the dial to heat because the initial smell of dust (and critters?) burning being piped was enough to make me gag. I opened the sliding glass doors to heat the outdoors in my effort to rid the smell out. That was last night.

Walking the dog early this morning reaffirmed my plan to buy a parka. There was a freeze warning. I saw a layer of frost in the rows of cars parked at home. It would be overkill on the parka, but I would be comfy. (No, I am not actually buying one to use less than handful of times a year.) Ugh. I've lived in Wyoming and Chicago; maybe I just need to quit being a sissy about the cold and just zip up a warm coat...

Today was one of the two days off I elected to take so I could spend time with Tawny downtown helping her clean their art space. The building they are leasing (with two other principals) is being prepared for rent and shows. They expect to rent for events like parties, art showings and small concerts. There will also be Saturday art classes for kids that I will probably participate in. A small art supply store is planned. A small recording studio and a photography studio are planned within, too. How can this much creativity thrive in one place? We're about to find out. Tawny will blog about it soon, I'm sure.

While we were at lunch, I felt like I was skipping school because I was away from work during a weekday. Odd feeling. It didn't feature prominently the rest of the day because despite the dust and hard work, we were having fun. Being surrounded by tubes of paints, jars upon jars of glazes for clay, molds to fill with clay slip, clay and glass kilns is a big energy boost.

Now to find the electric blanket...Thirty-eight degrees is the forecast overnight. Talk about chillin' in Tampa!
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Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Barack the Rock

I am still reeling about our new rockstar prez. Isn't he dreamy? The strength and renewed patriotic optimism he radiates warms my whole being. Below is a pic of two sugar cookies Bridget bought from her local bakery and shared with our boss and me during our conference call with our national team. They were about four inches in diameter and all edible. I think the image was printed with food grade ink on rice paper - he was tasty. It is not everyday you get to say you licked your prez' face.



Try the new cookie flavor: Barack the Rock!
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Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Mr. President Barack Obama's Inaugural Speech

Here's the link from yahoo.com.

Text of President Barack Obama's inaugural address on Tuesday, as delivered.

OBAMA: My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sanh.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified.

Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. Those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers ... our found fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations.

Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true.

They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing.
The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it)."

America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.


I say, Hail to the Chief because 'yes, we can'.
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Monday, January 19, 2009

Power of Suggestion

A very late night...not quite uninspired...a spark of creativity thanks to stencils and bottles of outdoor/indoor enamel paint...and a black box. Oh, yes -- there was some cursing, big bold colorful cursing. I forgot this stuff dries permanently hence enamel. I made some booboos thanks to me getting paint all over my fingers from holding several different brushes in one hand at the same time. What can I say? A VP asked me to decorate her new 'suggestion box'.



Let it not be said that I do not do what my executives ask. I am the one they call for very important stuff like decorate a boring black metal suggestion box. Hey, I am a team player. These finance folks need a bit of fun while painstakingly writing their suggestions for process improvement and cost-cutting measures. I joke but in the wake of the economy and the drag of depression this country, we could all use a simple smile.
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Sunday, January 18, 2009

Back by Popular Demand

Who knew I would be missed in cyberspace? There are no earth-shattering discoveries here. Maybe an occasional quiver. I took your hints via e-mail, phone calls and facebook notes. A few of you were not so subtle.

I survived the holidays, a time usually soul wrenching for me. A severe flu kept me occupied all day and night for two weeks. It was quite a doozie...Work is a constant train of change which keeps us on our toes...I wiped out on a new bicycle causing a big bruise on my upper left thigh and teeth marks from the pedals on my right calf. I had to get up before the cute guy fitting me for a serious bicycle saw me sprawled and tangled on the pavement with the bike. Just call me Grace, but now I have a sexy bike (different from my wipe out) that is still comfortable after riding an hour in the woods...My car is still a source of joy and speed. Hee. It is almost not big enough to transport my new sexy bike which means I will have to buy a rack for the back...I was obsessed with buying, eating and cooking Korean food...My 38th birthday was last week. In an odd thing: I was focused on the idea that I was pre-middle age or am I already middle age?


Part of the cupcake tree I made for Bridget's Birthday in December.

Things are sweeter and will only increase. I think my attitude has a significant influence on how I see things now. So yeah...I did missed you, too! XXXOOO
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