Betty's fault

Yesterday, the premiere of Ugly Betty gave me the perfect excuse to throw the first gathering of the fall at my place, I live in a basement apartment, that can get hot in the summer and spring, so usually if I have any social events they have to happen in the fall or winter. Taking the lead from TV, I realized that some pizza and red wine would be perfect to celebrate the return of Betty. I invited the closest and dearest and at 4 I left the office to go buy some wine and get home with enough time, to clean, put stuff away and order the pizzas.

I got to Dupont Circle at 4:50 or so and was looking for parking near Best Cellars, and I looked and looked, and looked and found nothing. I had a mess back home, so I did not have a lot of time. I saw a spot on R St, half legal, half illegal, but I figured , I am always a goodie two shoes, I will risk it how long will it take me to get 6 bottles of wine. I run to the store and choose my bottles and out of the corner of my eye I see one of the parking enforcement people walking up Connecticut Avenue, I told the clerk to hold my order, while I went and parked legally. I ran, I literally ran to my car and drove off to see if I could find a legal spot somewhere near the store, and as I am turning on S St, I see that I had already been ticketed. Insert a cry of frustration and pain, brought mostly by myself here. Aghhh, I was pissed, but I figured if they are around, and I park on my illegal spot as before they will give me another ticket. I did the rounds for 5 or 10 minutes and found a spot, went to the store and bought the wine, walked to the car and went home.

My only question is how can the same city that takes 6 months to fix Rock Creek Parkway, and where there are pools like Marie Reed that need fixin’ and never get can give anyone a ticket after being parked somewhat, ok, not somewhat, just plain illegally a ticket in less than 5 minutes?

Check is in the mail Mr. Mayor.

Sometimes Horoscopes are all wrong

After an exhausting practice yesterday, I read until 11:30, went to bed and woke up at 7 today - that is 30 minutes later than usual, which meant 30 minutes late for everything else. I get to the office and here is my horoscope:

Virgo
For Thursday, September 27 - There is certainly no shortage of high-spirited energy inside you right now, but it will need a little bit of coaxing to come out at full strength. Why are you holding back? You should be all about celebrating the nuclear-strength power you have! Show people how it is possible to get tons of stuff done while still keep everyone happy. You're entering a highly productive phase and this increased energy will help you create the momentum you need to carry you through.

Ahhhh, so not right.

Dirty Little Secrets

These are some of things I have learned during my time “on the beach”

• All those people that say come in at 7 and leave at 3, are lying, they come in at quarter of 8 at best, or 8:30, and then still leave at 3. I observe that on the rare occasions I come in at 8 and happen to be the first person at the office.

• No one really cares, you show up, talk to people, send some emails, and no one really cares.

• All office building delis are horrid places with even more horrid food.

• There is nothing better than a 1.5 hour lunch break, to make you sleepy and non productive, but at the same time, if you eat in 20 minutes, you are not going to be more productive or engaged.

• Best time to buy groceries, at 2 after the lunch crowd, you can even do cart wheels in the store! And all the shelves are restocked and there are no, absolutely no lines.

• The New York Times is the best newspaper in the country, followed closely by our own Washington Post.

• Never write long emails, no one reads them. If you have a lot to say use bullet format that way when people come back with I did not know, you can just point at the list they clearly did not read.

K, now I have to go work…

Tuesday's notes

Hey y’all had a good birthday weekend, I enjoyed seeing everyone and hanging out, and had some down time too which was nice. Other than that, not more to talk about this week has started slow, and something tells me it will remain that way – cross your fingers.

The big question of the week is do I try to get an ensemble for Miss Adams Morgan or do I jut go like a boring person with a shirt and slacks. I am not sure, I live dressing up, but basically the event will be 2 weeks from now, and I have nothing, I mean nothing, except the coat from last year. Maybe the Argentine can help with ideas, but I am at a loss for what to try and come up with. The theme of the party is TVLand, and of course I missed all those “great” sitcoms from the 80’s and 70’s and even part of the 90’s so no clue what to do. Any one has any ideas? A lot of people are doing Bewitched, today at the pool I heard three different people that have that idea, so there will be so many Esmeraldas it won’t be even funny.

Well that is all for today, I will be trying to do some work today, we shall see.

Friday’s round up or NPR sometimes makes me cry

As I was driving to work, as usual listening to Morning Edition, I got all misty eyed and all that, and it was not allergies or cold, it was NPR. They were showcasing Ken Burns’ new documentary about II WW, and I have always been interested in that war, it to me the greatest conflict of the 20th century. But it was not the political and military aspects that made the piece so interesting, Burns has chosen to tell the story through three cities in the US, and cover the three main theaters of the War – from an American point of view – the Atlantic, the Pacific and the home fronts. The documentary chose Luverne, Minn. Sacramento, Calif., Waterbury, Conn., and Mobile, Ala., as the places where start, and covers the impact of the war on the towns, and the places where the town’s men and women went to fight the war. It is not the horrors of the battles that made me sad, but the stories told by an Alabama newspaper, where a writer chronicled what was happening in town with candor and feeling, on of his stories is about a Friday, when the town is shutting down, but there is a rumor that a telegram is coming for a certain family that lived in Magnolia St, as the husband was walking home, he asked which of his 4 boys it was, and when he got the name, we kept walking home to break the news to his wife. It is those stories that help me keep perspective and realize that our trials and tribulations are not as epic or grandiose as they seem to us.

The documentary will air on PBS this Sunday, but here is the link to the NPR story.

Also the pic in the post today is from the extension of the Prado Museum in Madrid, I was reading El Pais, and they had this gallery and article on the expansion of the Museum, and it looks so pretty, so amazingly pretty, that I decided to post a picture and give you a link to the gallery. Moneo, the architect, did a terrific job, he expanded the building in a modern way, not replicating the XVIIIth century building yet making it feel warm and light. You know I was thinking of the architects when I saw the pictures.

Tales of the City

Last night I found out that Tuesday someone was assaulted right around the corner from my place. To say it was shocking was an understatement; seriously, it was for me a blow to my sense of security and peace of mind. Apparently – I tried to find a story on the WaPo unsuccessfully – the person attacked had parked down the hill (this is a one way street with the park on one side and house on the other) and was walking up hill when he was cornered by two guys that pushed him to the ground and took his wallet and cell phone and Lord knows what else. From the email that the president o the block sent, the person went to the hospital, and I ma hoping everything is fine and it was just a scare. But momentarily and for a while I will be uneasy every time I park and walk to my place with a laptop, a gym bag and plenty of paraphernalia needed when one works so far away from home that one carries with oneself half one’s thing every morning.

I am not even going to go into the usual discussion, the two attackers are the “usual” suspects, and that is all. I mean we live in a city and cities are dangerous places. I know that. I also know that it happens everywhere, in Gtown, in Mt Pleasant, in Columbia Heights, everywhere, so no one is free of it, not even the people in Potomac, from what happened there this week. But still, what is one to do, I can not be home at 6 every night locked away safely, I need to go out, swim, come back home, so the answer is to continue one’s life. Even if I have a rational discussion about this, I am still afraid, at least a little bit. I guess time will take the fright away, and in a couple of months I will be able too park and not look for suspicious people. But for the time being, you betcha I have a plan and I will be overtly alert.

Pictures!!

Today I have not much to post about, I did go to the gym yesterday and planning on swimming today which makes me proud. In the mean time I am at the office, training myself and waiting for the next project, but I finally put all the Pictures from my summer travels online and decided that you, if you have the time and the inclination, should see them, here they are:

Paris

Amsterdam

Giverny

I liked the ones from Giverny, and I have to concur with the Architect that after seeing the gardens one starts questioning Monet's talent.

Back on track

This is my 4th week back in DC full time, and by now I had anticipated to be fully incorporated into my old routine. Yes the gym, swimming, eating semi healthily and all that. Unfortunately that did not happen, at all. I tried swimming and I am in such bad shape that I feel like I can barely lift my arms and swim. It is like I am relearning it. The gym well lets not talk about that, I have been there twice in three weeks, hopefully that will all change today (cross your fingers) and the diet, well at least I have managed to eat diner at home almost 4 times per week, which to me is a record. So that has been the easiest part of it, the hard part has been getting my ass of the bed or the desk and start working out a little more, until I am in shape again.

That is all the news I got, really it has been a challenge, and I need to get to it because my stay in the south just left me out of shape, I can barely believe it.

The Year of Magical Thinking

I just put down this book, and it is so good that I want to write the review immediately before I forget it. It took me a while to finish it, 2.5 weeks, it is barely 250 pages, but the subject is very hard, but the writing and her approach to it is unbelievable. So go the Argentine’s blog, for the review, and then go to Amazon, or Kramer’s or wherever and buy this book and read it.

Knitting Lessons

Today the knitting part of this blog re-emerges because on of my coworkers who is about to go on pregnancy leave – I am sure that is not the name, but I can not think of the technical one right now – asked me to teach her how to knit. Her objective like mine is to pass the time, not to make an afghan or even a scarf, but like the GCC says it is about the process not the product. I agree whole heartedly, being one of those who can not sit still for more than 10 minutes, I understand her completely. If I had to be locked up in a house with an infant, I would go nuts.

Today at lunch time, we are going to get her some yarn, and I will teach her how to knit. At first I thought I would give her yarn, but then thought that she should choose it, not that the first ball of it will be useful or anything, but she needs to choose it in a color she likes. Of course this gives me the opportunity to get more yarn. Been thinking I have too many dark colors, I need something lighter, in a yellow or an orange, or a light blue for a blanket I have been meaning to finish sometime in 2010. I digress, then it will be time to teach the purl and the knit, and let her practice. I guess this officially makes me one of the gayest people I know. Oh well …

Oiii, my people!!!

At first today had little to blog about, there is always the anniversary, but many have talked about it much better than I could. I tend to be too corny when talking about grandiose topics and feelings, just ask the Argentine, which by the way is still away, but he is coming back soon. Alas, I found a story of great interest, I must warn you it is in Spanish, but I will translate the gist of it. A Mexican couple named their child Yahoo, as in the search agent, I think they used its’ personals to meet, or something. The article just mentions that they insisted on calling the kid Yahoo, even if the people at the civil registry – in Mexico, when you are born, you go to the Civil Registry and register the child, that is the law, I am not sure how it is done North of the border – warned them of the psychological harm they child would come to as he grew up and went to school. Apparently in the same jurisdiction an “environmentalist” couple called their children Tree, Arbol in Spanish. Funny huh, well those are my people, what can I say, I have heard worse, such as boys called USMAIL, or girls called Lady Di, can you imagine, a cute little Mexican girl called Lady?

So what are there some funny names you know? Do you think people can be scared by the name their parents give them? I think so, that is why people should use good Christian names, when they have good Christian Last names, and to my peoples everywhere in this country, please, please, please stop calling people Brian when their last names will be Gonzalez or Perez.

Have a good day,,, stepping off my classist soap box.

A year in the Merde - the book Review

Ok, yes another book review, I kinda fell of the face of the planet for the last 2.5 weeks, but my parents were in town, I was in training and had a myriad things to do. Go to the Argentine’s site for the review.

I get the Paris Pictures, because he gets the book review. Yes he is still in Argentina, but he is coming back soon.

Parents in town

My parents are in town, the arrived last Saturday and they leave Labor Day, hence my absence. Been all over town, dropping them places, taking them to the metro or Union Station and introducing them around. Some quick notes:

-> The freaked out after the second dinner with the Argentine, I guess the theory is much easier than the practice, when it comes to dealing with a big gay son. They are fine now, and I am hoping by the end of the weekend, they will be perfectly adjusted to the fact that they have a fagot for a son.

-> DC is a good city for parents, lots to do, and lots do for free.

-> Philly is of no interest to my middle age Mexican parents, they liked Constitution Hall, but I am guessing not enough shopping for Mom.

-> On the topic of shopping,anyone needs to/wants to come with me to Ikea and the outlet malls this weekend?

I been "working from home", yes big quotations around it. It worked well this week since the parents are here. Otherwise I am not sure how people ever work from home, I am booooored.

OK, back to work ...

This is all i get ???

After 6 months of staying 3 or 4 nights a week at a hotel, I decided to see how many points I have and what I could use them for. Yesterday I called the Hilton guest services program and realized I have 70,000 points. I thought well at least I can get a nice vacation out of this, 3 or 4 nights, or something. I call again because we are organizing a trip to NYC to see Spring Awakening, and I am trying to cash in my points and all I got as a certificate to you to pay for 2 nights a the Hampton Inn in Chelsea, but the kicker is this line I got in the email sent by Hilton:

Description: This certificate valid for two free nights at any Category 5 property.

What? Since when am I a category 5 anything … I guess points are meaningless in this time of traveling consulting and all that. I should have known when half the passengers in my flight to Charlotte in the morning have some sort of status. It is just the normal travelers that have no status.

Starting my good byes

This is my last week in Wilkes, and so yesterday they had a farewell dinner for me and the other guys who are leaving. It was lovely, really, maybe it was because I am leaving, but the dinner was a lot of fun, extremely relaxes and we manage to have dinner and drinks in less then 4 hours, which got my back at the hotel at 9:30. Perfect timing if you ask me. I got a card, very funny one and the following gifts:

Pencil Sharpener
4 assorted pens
3 notebooks for notes
Crayons
Markers
Thank you cards
Color clips, and a dispenser box
A 50 dollar gift certificate

The were all gag gifts except the certificate, before I left, they always gave us company regalia, and I said, no, no, no, no, I do not want or need a polo or a pad folio with a company logo. So they heard me, and they decided to give useful stuff.

I guess have nothing more to blog about; the week has been rather empty and boring, being working on this and that.

The shared Book Reviews

Wow, two posts in one day, I amaze myself, the second post can be found by going to the Argentine's site, see the link on the Dahlings section.




In what I hope will be a new tradition, I will review some books, and posting the reviews on the Argentine's Blog. The rule for me, is not reading his review so that I am nor influenced by what he has to say.

Massification

About 2 months ago I went to Candida’s a small travel book store on 14th St, and found this great cute little tag to put on my bag that says “ Toto we are not in Kansas anymore”, and I put it on my gray roller and felt so chic and smart. Yes I felt like an original, and urban and in the know. Then last week I walk into the magazine store, where the Diplomat asked me to buy for him the Rolling Stone with Zac Efron on the cover, and I see a little display with the exact same tags I had bought at Candida’s. And I thought this was something new and unique, well what new and unique can be found in Greensboro? Not much.

It’s a good thing I will stop traveling soon, at least for the time being, so that I can not be reminded about the lack of originality in my luggage tag.

Modern Fairytale

Once upon a time, in the rural landscapes of North Carolina, there was castle. In this castle there were many rooms, given to strangers that spend some of their time helping the feudal lord run the county. Every now and then a stranger would come and they would be given a room to test for their real talents. One of those nights, on of the strangers, got back to his room and tired of a long day of work and politicking, decided to turn on the TV and sit on this bed and watch something or other. He looked and looked and could never find the remote control, it was not in the bathroom, it was not on the desk, it had disappeared. The old fashioned way he thought, he pressed the on button and scrolled to a channel he liked. Once this was done he, threw his packages on the floor and proceeded to lay down on the bed. He felt something weird, like a bump in the bed, weird he thought, but he was tired, so he just sat there, and started thinking – this one stranger is always thinking – what could it be. It felt like something was under the covers, but what could it be, this was a simple room in a simple castle, there was nothing under the bed. So he kept watching and it dawned on him the remote. He jumped off the bed and turned the bed down, and looked for whatever was on the middle of the bed, and of course he found the remote control. Under other circumstances this could have been a myriad of other objects, but in this case only the remote control was hidden there. The joy was felt by the stranger realizing how like the princess and the pea, he had proven he was sensitive enough to realize when the bed was not made just out of mattresses.

Trying to eat healthy

Today I am trying to eat healthy and order a chef’s salad for lunch, it is all good and fine until they bring me the salad and it had half a pound of grated cheese on top of it. I did order for the dressing on the side, but come now, two handfuls of grated cheddar just because?

No wonder even if we are all aware of bad food we all are fat, cuz they keep giving us fat in our meals weather we want them or not. I am all for a little cheese on a salad, but literally there was enough cheese to make one very big quesadilla. Anyway, I dug the lettuce from underneath the cheese and ate the rest of salad, and picked at the cheese. The problem is two hours later I am hungry again!

It finally happened

After some time of really good luck traveling, last Thursday for the first time my flight was canceled and I had to stay over night in Greensboro, to wait for a flight to take me to the DC in the morning. This is a fact of life for us traveling consultants, it is difficult to swallow and a pain in the ass, but so far I had been lucky, last week I was not.

It all started with thunderstorms, which plague the East Coast, but the day here and in DC was ok, but of course it is between here and DC that the problem was. I got to the airport at 5:30 as usual and the flight as “on-time”, I was happy because some of the other flights had been canceled. At 6:20, the flight goes from “on-time” to canceled, with no explanation from the airline, I was fighting the desire to eat some donuts – the new temptation in the airport is the Dunkin Donuts shop. I walk to the booth, and they tell me they had to cancel it, because the 4:40 flight had not departed, so they were going to put us on that flight which was supposed to leave at 7:15. I crossed my fingers and went to the bar and had a G&T while we waited.

At 7:15 we walk up to the counter and we ask what time we would board, they said they had no idea, and told us to come back at 8. We went in search for something to eat, all we found was pizza and some sandwiches, and we chose the sandwiches and read for a bit. Finally at 8 they said we had not been given permission to leave the airport, and they would have an update at 9. Back to the Bar it was, where I had another G&T while watching the Galaxy play DC United, yep, at least I was reading “A woman of independent means”.

Again we go to the desk and they tell us that there is no update, that there will be an update at 10 pm. I am getting antsy, and I call the nearby airport Marriott to check if tey have rooms, they have, but if I make a reservation for the night I can not cancel, and would be charge the rate of $179. So I said thanks, but no thanks, will wait to make sure the flight is canceled. At this point the bar closed, so it’s me and the book in an airport where there was nothing else but disgruntled passengers.

This time at 10, I was seated by the information desk and they said they had no announcements, that they would have some decision made at 11 pm. At this point I was just tired and hungry. I told the attendant to book me on the morning flight just in case this was canceled. I called the hotel again to make sure they had free rooms, and waited. Finally at 10:45, they announce the flight is cancelled. My one grievous question is why not cancel it at 9 pm? DCA was closed, there was no point in keeping us waiting. Pfffff, anyway off to the hotel I went where I finally was able to fall asleep at 1 am and woke up at 5 to be at the airport at 5:30, to catch my 6:30 flight.

The joys of traveling …