Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Anyone Out There?

I might start this up again...provided the Republic of China allows this type of expression (or access to it).

20 days in China...imagine the blogging possibilities!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Craigslist is FUN

I've been in the habit of checking Craigslist every so often when I'm bored at work. I have recently started looking at the "FREE" section just to see what oddball things people are getting rid of. This is the best posting yet. I've included the whole posting with the contact # in case someone is interested. Honestly, this poster could either be my best friend (if given the chance) or they are absolutely crazy and are going to be starring in an episode of "Hoarders" soon.

I have a remaining bag of cat food our picky cat wont eat any more.
FREE
We tried to change his food to help him lose wait and he lost it alright, because he barely ate it.
FREE
We tried to disguise it by adding it to his old food and it sorta worked till he learned to separate each individual nugget all over the floor.
FREE
So this is what's left. There's about a quarter of a bag left.
FREE
It's yours if you want it. Call for pick up time.
FREE
586-207-0016

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

2010

It has been a pretty strange start to 2010. Between my neverending tooth drama and things going on with friends, there is so much to discuss.

I am looking forward to a great 2010. I'm getting married, great job prospects, wonderful friends & family. I am a very lucky girl.

A "real" blog should be coming soon. In the meantime, here are some recommendations.

Music: Cobra Starship
Movie: Up in the Air
TV Show: Modern Family

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Last Day in Brazil

Today is my last day in Brazil. I have absolutely loved it, especially the time spent in the South of Brazil. Considering I had to work the entire time I was here, its not often I get to say that I truly loved it. The location, people, food, work experience has all been fantastic - I have never been treated this well by any previous clients.

I feel somewhat guilty and ridiculous saying this….but I do believe I have a stalker... a single-white female to call my own. Let me start by saying that she is nice, but it crossed the line into stalkerville a while ago. This woman has been glued to me from the second I got into town. She has had every single lunch and dinner with me…and she jockeys to sit next to or across from me. She brings me Cokes, pineapple, tells me how nice I look (except today she said I looked tired – grrrr), and literally is at my beck and call. She scheduled a wine tour and literally lurks outside of my cube to be with me. She showed me airfare prices to come visit me in Detroit next year.

At first, I loved the attention and probably even encouraged it. I was helping her with her English. Now…I am a little distressed. Last night she asked me to go to dinner (with a couple of others) and when I said no, she literally looked like she was going to cry and quickly left the table. Tonight, we are having a big end of the audit dinner with the entire audit team and our clients (probably 20-25 people). It is at a fancy restaurant and we decided as an audit team to go to a club afterwards to celebrate a job well done. My stalker found out and said, “I am coming with you”.

I feel like this is such a burden and I’m on the verge of lying about going so that I might have my last night to my team and myself. Honestly, how big of a jerk am I? Feel free to tell me I'm a jerk.

To answer some of the questions that have already been asked – yes, she’s hot and yes, I’m sure I could land her. J Ha ha. :)

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Seen on the Bus in Brazil

ASS Tours - call xxxx-xxxxx

made me giggle

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Keep it in Your Pants

Ok, I've made it to Caxias do Sul, Brazil. The land of Gisele Bundchen and other drop-dead gorgeous people, in general.

I'm with a few co-workers (all male) and I have to say that I am so surprised by the 13 year-old boy mentality. Honestly, my co-workers are 28, 39 and 44 - at the sight of a pretty girl on our team from a local firm, they practically wet themselves. Eyes popped out of their heads, I see them make comments to each other about the hot girl. The 28 year-old is the pride of my all male staff (in addition to my team) in that every other guy (meaning the married ones) can live vicariously through him.

Here's my problem
1. 28? You're no longer 22 years-old dude and if you don't watch it, you'll become that "creepy guy"
2. The 28 year-old has a girlfriend and is constantly looking for praise for the fact that he is faithful to this girlfriend. Again...you're 28 - being in a relationship is expected - it is NORMAL behavior.
3. The ease in which my co-worker is praised and lauded for his sexual prowess. Kind of gross and totally inappropriate at work.
4. The co-worker has prior sexual harassment complaints filed against him by two girls in Sweden for his behavior. Yet, he continues on this path and is again encouraged repeatedly at every level in my dept. If it were me, I'd be scared silly and would be nothing short of professional.

It really irks me and over the course of my two audits here in Brazil I've called everyone out on the team for their behaviors and input into this scenario. Sometimes its in a joking way, but I've also pulled certain people aside and told them they'd better watch out if they want to be taken seriously down the road, etc. I've even cursed one co-worker into having girls that are cheated on by their boyfriends because "they're not married yet, live life while you can" (that was his quote and he didn't appreciate me calling him on it. He's a VERY conservative Catholic, if you couldn't guess...how dare I.)

At the end of the day, I shouldn't be surprised by this, nor should I let it work me up. However, its the same story every single day. A pretty girl walks by, same story every single time. At what point does this behavior become acceptable and even encouraged? Why do men do this? I don't buy genetic disposition, but its used as an excuse. "Its what guys do.". "Its how guys are wired." Personally, I think its a lame excuse to act like a pig. While I've never been a man and truly don't understand this, I do know lots of men that go through their lives without being a walking billboard for random hook-ups.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Guest Blogger - Lanae

"Only on my terms" -

The last two months has been about as up and down of a time as I've ever experienced. The love of my life swept me off my feet and we anxiously began planning the rest of our lives. We were only engaged for a day when we started making the guest list, talking about our wedding party, and sharing our dreams for our special day. We started telling people and thus began the down of the happiest time of our life. So many of our friends and family are elated for us, just the same as they would be if I were marrying a man or if Kam were marrying a man. They see our love for what it is and are honored and excited to share in that. But that's certainly not everyone.
I told my best friend and had to wait for any sort of reaction and only got that when I asked for it, and reminded her that she hadn't responded. "I'm happy that you're happy." That may very well have been said with the best intentions but imagine saying that to your friend or sister when she tells you she's getting married. Or imagine your sister or friend saying that to you when you share your news. It doesn't actually feel like you're happy. And what about the fact that she is "leaning towards not being there on your wedding day." That doesn't feel like happiness either. And just as you're about to say that you're not interested in their conditional love, you remember how they were by your side when your best friend died suddenly in college, you remember how you were there by her side as her dad lie in the hospital during her senior open house, and how you fought over petty things but always had each other's back when it came down to it, how you always ended the fights because she was too stubborn to say she was sorry. These are the things that make her conditional love better than no love at all. And why I'll continue to pray that she'll be leaning the other way by July 10.
I've wanted to tell my Grandma for a long time but I haven't simply because I wasn't sure how my parents would feel about it. I've never doubted how Grandma would react and there's reason for that. Because, grandmas don't know conditional love. They are wiser than that. Maybe it's because they experienced conditional love at some point of their life, maybe it's just because they are smarter than the rest of us. I'm not sure why it is. My parents told my grandmother about me and Kathy the other night. And her response was just as I imagined. Sure, she probably doesn't fully understand all things lgbt, but she certainly understands me and knows me. For her, it's all about love. Her love for me and the love that I have to share with the world. Simple.
And so for every moment of pain and every "I'm happy that you're happy"s, there are so many more people that are happy with us, sharing our happiness with us in the most pure ways. Like when another best friend literally jumps up and down and hugs you so tight when you ask her to be a part of your special day. Or when your sister can't stop talking about the wedding and she's thousands of miles away. Or when your parents or aunts and uncles put aside whatever it is they don't understand to share in your happiness and ask all about the upcoming day. Or when Kam's nephews love me like my own niece and nephew do. For some reason, somewhere between 10 years old and 80 years old, we find ourselves so important that we begin to love others on our grounds and on our conditions, regardless of how that makes them feel. Instead of being happy for those closest to us, we make it about us and we distance ourselves. Why is it that young children and our grandparents love so much better than the rest of us? Perhaps there is something we can learn from them.