Monday, September 01, 2008

Guest Blogger - RSVP so I can send an invitation

I haven't blogged since April, so a former blogger asked if she could post something that's been on her mind.

It goes a little something like this:

A friend of mine is getting married later this month. We were once fairly close; now, not so much. Distance and life have gotten in the way. She moved away and went back to school, I climbed the corporate ladder... you know, life just took us in different directions. My most recent move put us both in the same area just in time for her engagement and wedding. She called soon after the engagement to let me know and made sure I was invited (via evite) to the engagement party **WTH happened to proper invitations for formal events? An engagement party does count as a formal event, right? Is it just me?**

For the last few days, she's been blowing my phone up. I went through all the possible reasons for the multiple, back-to-back calls. Hmmm, did she have a bridesmaid drop out and she needs a replacement? Was she having a program folding party? Selling Mary Kay? Looking for a last-minute caterer? Hell, I don't know, let me just call her back...

She "invited" me to her wedding. Well not really. She actually asked me if I was free the day of her wedding. When I told her I had already made plans but would love to come she suggested I call her back once I confirmed I could make it and she would follow up by sending me an invitation. Huh? I figured I must have misunderstood so I text messaged her my mailing address and a note to congratulate her on the upcoming nuptials. I didn't misunderstand. She replied with a request for my availability so she can send me an invitation IF I can make it.

Is this the wave of the future? Only invite people once they've already confirmed they can come? I know the economy is bad but it's certainly not this bad, is it? I didn't think wedding invitations were that expensive, not even the really nice ones. So why is she treating this like a big budget item? Why is she requesting confirmation before she'll even formally invite me? Ugh, I can't even be bothered. Here's my deal, I'm not responding to your text invite. If you don't send me a paper invitation, you won't see my face at the wedding or my gift in your hot little hand. If I get a paper invite, I will try to make it and will provide a gift. Just let me know what you're gonna do.

~Crystal~

Friday, April 04, 2008

Hola Mi Amigos


?Que Tal?

I know I have no excuse for not posting but things have been a little hectic for me the last few weeks. Lots of ups and mostly downs at work and then there was that mid term that I had to power through a few weeks ago. I just returned from visiting my sister in Madrid, Spain and had a marvelous time. I am however broker then broke, if that’s possible. The US dollar has hit rock bottom and a 1 Euro = $1.63 exchange rate made things quite expensive since I had to pay for a hotel, myself and my “broke college student” little sister when out and about. I’d anticipated the exchange rate was going to hurt but didn’t realize how much so until I got there.

Madrid is such a great vibrant city and has such history and culture and not to mention the yummiest Sangria I’ve tasted in a long time. I did not however, fall in love with the food. It was good but not as great as I’d expected. I did however, have one of the best sandwiches I’ve had in a long time, French baguette bread with slices of Iberian Ham. Oh joy, now the Spanish are crazy about their pork and the ham (not like we’re used to but more prosciutto style) just melted in my mouth. Yummy!

So while in Madrid I tried and tried not to lecture my little sister too much but man oh man I wonder at times what she and her friends are thinking. I’m trying to balance giving her much needed advice and letting her make her own mistakes and boy is it hard.

Sunday, March 02, 2008

The Debil

Remember this post?

http://thisismehonest.blogspot.com/2007/08/myspace-is-debil.html

Well I should have re-read it first before I signed up for a face.book page. A few months ago I broke down and signed up because it would give me access to my sister’s page. I’m that nosey and cautious older sister who wanted to make sure my sister wasn’t posting pictures or comments she would regret later in life. I’d received emails from some friends asking me to join and always ignored them so I was a bit surprised to see that the “friends invite” was there when I finally joined. All of a sudden I realized that half of my team at work was signed up including my manager and my company has a network on this thing. So now I’m signing on at least once a day. Uhhh! I really didn’t need yet another reason to be glued to my laptop. Between, school, work, blogging and now face.book my fingers hurt.

Monday, February 25, 2008

So Sorry

Sorry Beloved, I know you were on vacation last week and I was supposed to post but there was a lot going on. Since my last post, I came back home and jumped right into work and life. Things have been crazy busy and may get busier.

School is school and it’s amazing how these professors actually want you to work for those grades. Lol! Sunday I went to see the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre for the first time at the Kennedy Center and oh my I’ve been missing out. They were absolutely magnificent and I can’t wait to see them again. They brought back memories from my HS modern dance classes and I really miss dancing. I may just go ahead and sign up for a class at Jo.y of M.otion when I have some time.

I always think of a bunch of posts on my drive to and from work but end up forgetting about them when I get to my destination. A few years ago I mentioned getting a tape recorder and dictating posts as I think of them but that probably won’t happen either.

I just need to carve out some blogging time at least once or twice a week. We’ll see how that goes.

Why isn’t Spring here yet?

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Why?

Did MTV France translate the title of “Run’s House” to “Ghetto Pasteur which means Ghetto Pastor. Uhhh I don’t like that AT ALL. They’re also doing a bad dubbing job. I don’t like this at all. I don’t really watch the show but from what I’ve heard there’s nothing ghetto about it. I think someone should write a letter to MTV and ask them to do a better job of translating the names of their shows. I wonder if the Rev knows they’re calling his show ghetto.

Why?

Do I feel that a friend of mine is unconsciously being negative about something I’m working on. While helping me figure some things out I think she’s being super negative. I’m sure she’s justifying her behavior by saying that she’s trying to help me not fail. Not sure if she realizes what she’s doing or why.

Why?

Am I so jetlagged? I went to bed at 11:30 PM woke up at 2:30 AM and couldn’t get back to sleep until 7 AM. Not even my trusty melatonin has helped me on this trip. Glad it’s Saturday.

Why?

Is February going to be a beast of a month there’s so much going on. I can’t wait!

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Can I Rap to You For A Sec?

I’m going to step up onto my Soap Box for a minute.

Please, please, please I beg you do not adopt an animal cat or dog unless you are absolutely sure you’re 1) financially able to 2) will give the animal a home no matter WHAT until they die of old age or have to be put down because of a serious incurable illness.

No seriously, please don’t adopt or buy a pet unless you’re 100% sure you’re in for the long haul. The woman I worked with when I first started volunteering at the local DC shelter would point out all the animals that were returned or were “given” up by their owners because of what I would consider the most asinine reasons in the world. I’d get so pissed and wonder why people find these creatures so disposable almost like a pair of shoes that were worn or could no longer fit.

Today I received a forwarded email from a colleague whose friend was looking for a “good home” for her cat. Apparently after being a great pet and companion for years the woman had a baby, decided feeding and cleaning a litter box was too much trouble, all of a sudden discovered that her mother was allergic to cats and oh suddenly realized she preferred dogs. I want to bop that woman in the head. Sure I’ve never had a baby before but I have cats and know that feeding and cleaning a litter box takes 5 minutes a day if that. That email just pissed me off.

I think one of the reasons we have so many animals in the shelter because people are irresponsible. They don’t want to spay or neuter their pets but then don’t want to raise all the babies that suddenly appear. When I tell some men looking to adopt a dog that the dog will have to be neutered before being adopted they actually cringed and said it was like cutting their own balls. WTF!?!?! Are you freaking kidding me?

I know animals aren’t like children BUT please really make sure you're ready to go the long haul when you’re adopting a pet. Oh and if you’re buying a pet please make sure the seller is a reputable seller and isn’t part of a puppy mill.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Repost -- Ode to the Avocado

I walked into Whole Foods on Tuesday evening and the first thing I always do is head to the Avocados to see if they’re on sale. Imagine my surprise when I saw they were but for $2.99!!!!!!!!!!! What in the world! I then remembered this ode I wrote to the Avocado on my first blog back in 2005.

Ode to the Avocado

Editorial Note:

I am not a poet but last night I felt moved enough by my dinner of sliced Avocado with a sprinkles of balsamic vinegar and tomato and mozzarella salad.

Avocado, Avocado how I love thee.

You’re my favorite food item. Although many are confused about your status (fruit or veggie), I know you’re all luscious fruit. Your tough yet easily peeled exterior layer reveals a succulent and tasty core.

Sliced, diced, chopped you taste so good to me. Smashed with herbs and spices you make me want to scoop you up with a great tortilla chip.

Avocado, Avocado how I love thee.

Sliced with a few sprinkles of balsamic vinegar so yummy. Some say you don’t taste so good and don’t have much of a taste and that you don’t have any flavor but I disagree. I love thee.

Haas Avocados are on sale this week 99 cents at Fresh Fields/Whole Foods.

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a fantastic New Year’s Eve.

I had an amazing but exhausting time over the last week and a half and am happy to be back home and this weekend I’m recharging my batteries.

I know I’m blessed and am very very blessed to have the mother I have but once in a while I think I take for granted the unconditional love I get from her. This last week I realized more then ever that I am truly truly blessed and need to remind her at ALL times that she’s an awesome and amazing woman and I’m glad she’s my mom.

On the way in to work this morning I thought about the year 2007 and realized that I am one lucky lady and need to count my blessings that 2008 will be bigger and better. I started graduate school, I finished paying off all my credit card bills, I went to North Africa for the first time, rode a camel and hugged a monkey, I went to Sub-Saharan Africa for the first time and entered in to the year 2008 still credit card debt free!

I know great things will continue to happen in 2008 and I can’t wait to find out what. Life is good!