Training Day

Speeding colors. That's what my day was like. I wasn't dizzy per se, but it sped by very quickly. I was training my boss and making sure he had access to applications in between facilitating the installation of new equipment throughout the building.

The vendor rep who made me livid on Friday afternoon came by in the morning and in the afternoon. Talk about kissing ass and walking on eggshells around me. It wouldn't have been so bad if ALL the equipment had arrived. Promising the world to his clients and short-changing at the end seems to be his M.O.

With all this commotion, I didn't get my regular work done so guess who is going to be a busy bee tomorrow? Your AGOL. Aargh!!! Let's pile more busy on top of busy. Did I mention I was training my new boss? He seems like a good guy so far and has a sense of humor.

During lunch, I called and sang Happy Birthday to my stepmother. She had received her parcel from me yesterday and enjoyed everything. She loved the outer box with a balloon print and the pretty packages inside. She thought the shirts were cute and the musical card fun. She left the card in the mail stack so my dad would be sure to enjoy it, too, when he got home.

I know it made my dad happy and proud of my efforts. See, my stepmother and I don't always see eye to eye and she has wished for my approval and almost demanded my love. As we know, love has to be given freely. Not sure what my sisters did for her birthday, but I know I brought a measure of joy to her.

Gosh, it's getting late. I can't remember much else today. My brain is too fatigued. I'm actually admitting to needing some rest. Ha! I'll leave you with a sweet thought wish tonight:

Outside darkness has fallen. I stand next to a street post with a bright lamp at the top lighting the street. My breath stretches out in wispy whorls in front of me as its warmth meets the chilly air. I close my coat, adjust my woolen scarf around my neck and rub my kid glove encased hands. What's that? I see little flecks of white dust in the air, but it is not dust. Snow is falling like twinkling stars...

Training Day

Filipino Tendencies

Made it to work early and beat Bridget. My motive for getting in earlier than my normal time was to get a head start in getting to know my new boss, but I forgot he had to attend our company orientation for a couple of hours first.

When we finally got to meet our new boss, I shook his hand and got the same feeling I did when I read his resume. Kind of a like a flatline. It was odd. He seemed very nice and eager to please as we got on through the day. The man can't be all bad if he's a self-described Parrothead. I've seen Jimmy Buffett sing myself and been to two Margaritaville's (Key West and New Orleans). Time will tell.

Bridget has advanced tickets for her Roller Derby Bout this weekend, but gave Tawny and me complimentary tickets. What a sweetie! Several of us are attending and it's going to be mighty interesting. Oh, don't you worry my honeys, I will be posting some pictures of this event.

Had a nice quiet lunch; my posse was nowhere to be found. Ended up talking about Filipino food with my fellow Flip friend, Jerico. It's fun to reminisce and swap recipes with him. I am bringing him a piece of the jackfruit my aunt gave me yesterday. This fruit sold at the Asian markets is very expensive for a section. My aunt has a whole tree so I can be generous and secure in a steady supply for a while.

Been posting lots of love quotes. It's not like I ever run out of words, but I guess I am looking for other people's words. Hungry for them as a matter of fact. I don't know. Perhaps I just need a new perspective or maybe I just wanted to escape from my day for several minutes.

My late afternoon involved crisis management which made me stay 45 minutes later than I wanted. Ugh. Let's just say SVPs were involved. It was not pretty, but I think we will weather it well this week. Nothing like trial by fire for my new boss.

Felt like some comfort food tonight and in America, it usually consists of macaroni and cheese. Not too thrilling for this AGOL. My first serving of macaroni and cheese didn't come until I was 11 years old. Comfort food for me usually involves Filipino food or even plain jasmine rice. I put some rice in the cooker and before I knew it, I was breathing in the jasmine comfort. I paired it with some Filipino food I won't gross you out with in describing, but let's just say it is very exotic and not everyone would like it. It made ME feel better.

Consequently, my aunt told me a fib. She said this particular dish would not stink this time because the ingredients were special. Uh-huh. Even my Pretty Boy Dog came to the kitchen to investigate! My place will be quarantined from non-Asians for a few days. Thank goddess I have air freshener plug-ins in every room!

Filipino Tendencies

Love Quotes to Inspire the Love Within Us

If we deny love that is given to us, if we refuse to give love because we fear the pain of loss, then our lives will be empty, our loss greater.

- Tanis HalfElven from the Dragonlance saga

...Fantasy books always seem to have the same refrain.


The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.

- Elie Wiesel

...An Amazing Person


She gathers me, man, The pieces that I am. She gathers them and gives them back to me In all the right order.

- Toni Morrison

...What a killer author!


Love is as unproblematic as a vehicle. The only problems are the drivers, the passengers and the road.

- Franz Kafka

...Is that all? Shouldn't be too tough to navigate, should it?

Love Quotes to Inspire the Love Within Us

No Labor Today

Cabal was mean to me. He would not let his mistress sleep in during the Labor Day holiday which meant at 5:13am we were out for a walk. In defiance, I went back to sleep until the ache in my hips could no longer be ignored. By that time, he was ready for his breakfast and his playtime. We all know who's in charge in this relationship.

Listened to sexy Roxy Music's Greatest Hits CD and another oldie CD by Sonique as I got ready to go out. I dig that chick - she is fierce! Sometimes you just have to make a conscious decision to tune out the news of the world and play music. It's too much junk to be able to let good things flourish within a being.

Drove to Gibsonton to visit my cousin Ida and her family for a barbecue lunch. The twins were in rare form with my goddaughter interviewing me as part of a class assignment. It was interesting to pick both of their minds in return.

Elizabeth and Charles, the twin's budgie bird pets, were brought in as thunder got closer.


Stopped by my aunt and uncle's on the way back to hear about their long weekend in Galveston, Texas with longtime friends (42+ years!). My aunt made me take home some jackfruit from her yard and some dried fish she bought in the Chinatown part of Galveston. She also made me a Filipino banana treat before I left. On the way out, we talked about her front garden which is truly exotic.

From my aunt's front garden, the National Flower of the Philippines: Sampaguita. The bushes of these were in full bloom. My empty soda can became my makeshift vase until I got home. It's strong fragrance permeated the car thanks to the air conditioning.


Perfect resting day right before a laborious week. Hope the new boss has a sense of humor. I know for sure he's going to need it...

No Labor Today

Love Quotes of the Day

Love is never wrong.

- Melissa Etheridge

...only if it stems from rare Divine wells and not from a poisoned source easily accessed along the way.

An act of love that fails is just as much a part of the divine life as an act of love that succeeds, for love is measured by fullness, not by reception.

- Harold Loukes

...my cup runneth over.

No greater force than the force of love. No man or woman can alter its course - by force, or love.

- James Stephen Cathcart

...I guess it is why the world keeps going round.

Love Quotes of the Day

Mangia, Cara Mia!

Received a happy call from Trish in San Francisco today. She had a wonderful going away party from her old job last week and her new job was going well. Her boyfriend Dave got a new job, too and has been making arrangements to have Trish formally move in with him in the city. Singing gigs for Trish were also coming in. I was thrilled that she was finally living la vida loca again.

I updated Tawny via text that I was declining her invite to her pool party with a couple of our other friends. My sociable mood was nowhere to be resurrected and the rain was off and on all morning. It decided to make its presence very known in the afternoon instead. Luckily, I was able to walk Cabal around and enjoy the lush greenery before the downpour...

I've not bought eggs in several months for two purposes: 1) I don't eat eggs enough to make buying a half dozen or a dozen worth it before it goes bad and 2) It is a deterrent to easily baking pastries and cakes. With the weather, today was a perfect Baking Day and I was compelled to cook something that took time. The next thing I knew I was making Sunday Gravy (as some Italians call it) with meat. Cooking can be a hedonistic activity if approached correctly and I was game today.

I left the canned whole tomatoes mostly in tact instead of crushing them further and added it after browning the lean ground beef in some raw olive oil, onions and lots of pressed garlic. Mincing doesn't extract all the garlic oil goodness. Added tomato paste to deepen the flavor, mixed dried herbs (fresh ones were not an easy option today) and some spices. I left out the wine today.

This was reducing nicely. I adjusted the taste by stirring in some crushed hot pepper. Later the secret ingredient (blowing a kiss!) because it has to be made with Love. Kinda hokey, I know, but that's how this AGOL does it.


Can you tell I am showing my Filipino side in the pic below? If you don't get it, good for me! I like to boil the dry pasta unbroken so that the long strands are kept. It makes it easier to twirl on a big spoon. (Ran out of spaghetti so had to settle for angel hair.) The pasta water must also be well seasoned with sea salt and the pasta cooked al dente. No wimpy strands on my fork.

Sprinkled some grated Romano cheese and more of the crushed hot pepper over this garlicky goodness. Just missing some of my famous garlic bread and a nice glass of Shiraz.


The sun shone again when this was served. The dish was tasty and the good food aroma inside intoxicating. Steam had built up against the sliding glass doors thanks to the condensation from the coolness of my apartment to the steam bath outside. In between bites, I remembered that tomorrow is a holiday.

Mangia, Cara Mia!

Visual DNA

This was different and fun:

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Visual DNA

Pretty Packages

Hearing thunder made the decision for me to skip The Saturday Four. Perhaps tomorrow or Monday, but the forecasters have predicted rain the next few days...

I've just wrapped my stepmother's birthday gifts: two blouses and one box for the special musical card and Florida-themed treat. Gathered her favorite colors of purple and gold. The tissue inside each box is different and in a tropical theme to set off the gift inside. Yes, I know I have way too much time on my hands. If I were not mailing these, the bows would be more elaborate. I like the bows to be big, complex and overflowing with the ribbon undulating around the edges of the gift.



The best part of giving the gift is more gratuitous for me and that is the wrapping. Even if I'm not necessarily fond of you, the wrapping will never let you know. The gift inside is for the recipient and the wrapping is...correct!...for me.

I didn't grow up with a lot and couldn't necessarily give a more expensive gift, but what I could do was make the wrapping beautiful. I learned (while living in the Philippines) from watching the painstaking task my mom or other live-in relative would take to make the gift presentable, more often than not the popular technique of multiple folds at the seam as seen at the top left hand box in the picture above.

Now I have an arsenal of dozens of gift wrap paper in various themes and spools and spools of mostly fabric ribbon. I try to buy them when they are on sale because I am not stingy with them when I wrap the gift. More yardage of ribbon on a gift, the better. It's the sensuality of it, too. Feeling the textures of the paper and ribbon...and feasting my eyes on the various colors heightens the experience.

This is not to say I have not thought about the gift inside. I always imagine what the recipient might think when he/she opens it. It is rare that I do the gift half-hearted. Even if I pick up something small and it would be okay to give as is, it will still have a small coordinating fabric ribbon(s) tied around it. It's just the AGOL way.

Pretty Packages

Love, No Limits

Love has no uttermost, as the stars have no number and the sea no rest.

- Eleanor Farjeon

...and an AGOL no empty cup.

Love, No Limits

Absent Crickets

The sounds of crickets were absent at work today. One would expect the Friday before a three-day holiday weekend would be quiet enough to make us restless. Today was just not that day.

Morning was a series of e-mails and phone calls among vendors and internal personnel. Gladly welcomed Lisa picking me up for lunch out; unfortunately, we had to go back to work. The afternoon proved more difficult with one vendor's lack of communication. Gosh, I can't even write about it, I was so livid.

Left around 5pm, one hour earlier than my usual. Had an early dinner with Myrna since her husband was working tonight. She also helped me shop for my stepmother's birthday gift. I bought her two stylish and comfortable shirts that she could easily wear with denim or khaki pants. One was in her favorite purple color. I'll give them the AGOL gift wrap treatment and send them out in one parcel tomorrow. It needs to arrive in Chicago no later than Wednesday so I may bite the bullet and send it Express Mail with the holiday weekend. It's called living on the edge - ha!

Hoping to do The Saturday Four tomorrow barring any rain. I believe I am going to walk it by myself; my girlies have out of town plans. Better search for my earphones so I can listen to some music tomorrow. Funnily enough, my absent crickets are outside at the moment and have been at it after the rain tonight. How do I tell them to pipe down so I can sleep later? Anyone speak Cricket?

Absent Crickets

Happy Martinis

Traffic was brutal and I couldn't wait to get to work. Bought a bagel with peanut butter at the cafe before going upstairs. Only ate a third of it thanks to busy work.

Bridget and I made a trip to our other building after lunch so we could compare apples to apples with the Accounts Payable department. We left their building more ticked off and called our interim boss when we got back. Received a directive to take care of it at our level and leave management out. So now I have a request to a not-so-favorite man for a web conference. Just bloody lovely.

Felt woozy in the late afternoon since I didn't manage my energy well with my sugar intake. Should have eaten breakfast at 5am and snacked at 9:30am instead of eating a portion of a bagel at 9:30a and then a light lunch.

Seven of us planned to meet for happy hour at the Blue Martini. Most of our group were running late. I couldn't wait to go so I called DJ to see if he was still in the building and it turned out he had been there already for half an hour. Be right there to join you! Arrived around 5:30pm.

I drank Sour Apple Martinis this time around while we unloaded about our day. Soon the rest joined us. It was Jeff, Tawny, Kathy, Jamie and Ant. By 6:30, I was bombed thanks to a light lunch earlier. Tawny had to escort me to the Ladies Room just in case. We ordered some food to counteract the drinks. I had delicious flatbread pizza. Also had a bite of DJ's steak tenderloin that had a nice citrus taste and tried out the spinach dip on the other side of the table. This place had fab drinks and food!

After another two hours of demented teasing and watching an extra happy Kathy do a lap around the bar area missing the bathroom entrance and eventually rescued by Tawny, we prudently made our way to Starbucks across the way for some damn fine coffee. I said as much after the first sip of my Caramel Macchiato. Was careful driving home, but was clearly on the edge of not being safe. Yikes! Will manage my energy better next time.

The orchids were a fancy garnish on our plates. Martini glasses were cleared. This was my empty cola glass in a desperate attempt at instant sobriety.


Waited a long while to update my blog thus avoiding drunk blogging. That is the last thing I need to experience. The martini effects felt great while they lasted though. I'd better take my Pretty Boy Dog out now before heading for the haven of 400-thread count sheets. Mmm...Bedtime.

Happy Martinis

Will's Evil Angel

There is no evil angel but Love.

-- William Shakespeare

Will's Evil Angel

Um...Ah...

Holy sugar! It must be the lip gloss...

Um...Ah...

SUPERFINE Brow Liner

It's a little bit of midweek madness in AGOL-land. Accounts Payable is driving Bridget and me to the last edges of our nerves, but we push through it by calling our interim boss and express our concerns. Okay, who am I kidding? We were having a bitch session.

Decided that I needed to visit a Happy Place after a rough morning so I literally dragged a surprisingly upset Tawny out of her office. Her husband was having one of his moments and decided to spread his dark joy. Grrr.

We ran into Sara (the Greek girl) at the elevator. Now Sara and I have a one-upsmanship going and we thrive on the verbal barbs. She's a member of my unofficial club Wild Women Do and They Don't Regret It. As we were all about to get in the elevator, I held the door for her as she got in, blocked the way and announced, I don't think there is enough room in here for all this ego. She was stunned and we all died laughing on the way down.

I was telling Tawny that if Bridget had been there, it would have been too much for the elevator to handle all the egos and God forbid the man who was brave enough to ride the elevator with us. She replied that he would've turned instantly gay from all that fierce estrogen. Some guys come out of the closet; he would have come out of the elevator. Ha!

My chosen Happy Place before having lunch was Sephora where an AGOL can be herself surrounded by cosmetics, perfumery and bath goodies. Needed to buy more moisturizer and a new eyebrow liner. My old one was discontinued so I bought Clinique's Superfine Brow Liner. For some reason, I emphasize the word superfine whenever I think about it.

On the drive home, I turned the radio on low and took the highway following the remnants of rush hour traffic. As I rounded downtown Trampa, the traffic was moving along at 50mph and I kept hearing a strange beep that lasted several moments and I thought it was the music until it became more pronounced. I turned to my left and some guy in his SUV had been trying to get my attention. I smiled and he mimed if he could call me. I said no and he drove off. I then looked in the rearview mirror and noticed the traffic had stacked up behind him in the fast lane. Oh good God.

What would possess a man to hold up highway traffic to get a chick's number? Almost had an accident myself when I had to brake suddenly a minute later. Called Bridget who was still at work and we laughed about it. It must be the hair or I need to lay off the lip gloss. No chance of that happening ever.

I had the intentions to buy my stepmother's gift tonight, but I didn't. Realized it too late as I drove into my apartment complex. Besides, I like living on the edge. It's going to be between me and the post office in the end. Don't worry. It will be done because I am not risking the ire of my ex-military dad. I'd rather go without lip gloss...for a week! Shuddering in Shallowville.

SUPERFINE Brow Liner

Love Quote of the Day

Ultimately love is everything.

M. Scott Peck

Love Quote of the Day

Red Moon Setting

Startled this morning by the lunar eclipse when I walked my dog. It evoked such a visceral response akin to the first time I saw this moon scene from Time Machine.

Before midnight the moon was in its glory and this morning after 5am it was just a bright smile line with a red shadow cast against the rest of its face. Once I remembered it was the eclipse, I stared at the rare occurrence in wonder. Will the heavens ever give up its full secrets to us mere humans? Are we worthy of its vastness? We are all made of the same stuff as stars. Maybe in the next millennium...

Felt really aged today as I readied for work, but when I looked in the mirror to check, all I saw was a very young looking 36-year old having good face and hair day. Must be my state of mind. It just turned 114.

Roped by my interim boss first thing to take his place in a conference call. Thank God it wasn't as painful as anticipated...The one thing that wasn't anticipated was an IT manager coming to me whining about something he should have been able to solve. I gave him three different viable solutions right off the top of my head. Not one, not two, but three! Manager-0, Lowly Emp-3

Am I being too flat? Where is that famous AGOL fizz? Everyone (strangers included) were mysteriously being extra nice to me today. I tried to flash my Chiclets a lot especially to the president of my North American division. Still trying to get that Smile Ambassador gig he doesn't know I have created for myself. So far I have him making a point to say hello to me while everyone else is asking Who's that guy? I think he gets a kick out of me saying I am groovy. Maybe I need to step up my teeth whitening regimen which could take me to the next level of making my mouth a natural light source. Something to ponder certainly.

Red Moon Setting

Supporting "Hot Pocket"

We will be screaming "Hot Pocket"!



*Hot Pocket says it is quite the freakshow where the girls dress in racy outfits while they skate. I'm sure the men will be loving this part...

Supporting "Hot Pocket"

Misc Monday

Almost didn't hear the my cell phone ring over my morning tunes as I drove to work on the highway. For a switch it was Myrna checking up on me. She was also pleased to announce that she was quitting her job and turning into Susie Homemaker for a while. This would give her time to be at home for the improvements they are making on their property. She also informed me that she will be joining me for The Saturday Four. Yay Myrna!

Walking into work is such drudgery these days. I need a self-attitude adjustment before my new boss starts next week. Need to find my bubbles for being bubbly since I will be training him on our systems and whatnot. That should be a load of fun... I may need more bubbles to make that more convincing.

Tawny was still in Atlanta as part of an extended weekend trip with her sister Shelli. So no talking to Tawny at all during the weekend. I texted her on the way home that I missed her and she texted back that she had stories to tell. Oh goodie! Can't wait to hear about her adventures. I hope they don't annoy me. She will read that and know exactly what I mean.

Got caught in a text messaging triangle with DJ and Jamie. One was being annoying as we made plans for the gang to get together for Happy Hour this week and the other was texting in CB Talk as if we were riding on a truck. And he had the nerve to type the lyrics to Convoy and quickly follow it with another text message saying, Hope that song gets stuck in your head. To which I replied, Thank you, MF. Nothing has changed in 10 years, we all just have more expensive toys to express ourselves now. That's a 10-4, Rubber Duck.

Enjoyed a stuffed pepper tonight for dinner. A gal in the breakroom heated one up for lunch the other day and the aroma was so delicious that I had to have one soon after. Anything that is made with rice has to be good. What does that make me? Extra gooooooood. Shameless.

Misc Monday

Dreamtrap

I have spread my dreams beneath your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

W.B. Yeats

I wish the near full moon Cabal and I walked under at 4:43am would have revealed what my dreams are to be. I no longer know them or recognize them. The ripple in the once clear water illuminated by the moon has distorted the images into a grotesque comedy, leaving me with muddied colors.

I've asked for Clarity, but what I get is Uncertainty. More than is necessary, I think.

Dreamtrap

Pretty Boy Dog Wish

Happy Sunday!

Pretty Boy Dog Wish