Beautiful Inspirations

Friday, April 27, 2007

Why oh why did I not listen to you, Denise? (and to my hubby to!! but I like to admit that less) I went to the gym today. This was not a good idea. I thought it was a the time but my chest and constant coughing tells me something else. I really thought I needed to go as I was starting to get "lazy" and not want to go anymore but now I feel like poop. Not terribly bad but I can tell that I shouldn't have gone. grrr. That is thanks to my stubborness. I cant help it. I am half puerto rican and irish after all! hehe Oh well, I am going to have to take it relatively easy over the weekend. I dont really have any other plans over the weekend except the botanical gardens and that is a casual stroll. Its not like I am hiking or anything. I am so looking forward to it. It should be nice weather. Unfortunately it rained like crazy today so I am hoping the rain didn't knock off all the blossoms. :( I am excited cause I finally got the US charger for my camera and can take pics again! I was so happy yesterday when I turned my camera back on. I knew I missed it but wow, did I miss it!! So it will be nice to be in my element again. My little niece and nephew and older niece will be coming with us to the garden so I am looking forward to taking pictures of them. I am still not really comfortable taking pictures of people. But this is a good opportunity to start. Children and nature. What a combo. :)

I found this picture on my camera when I charged it yesterday it was my first shot at editing of any kind. I did very basic editing but I am really please with the result. Its an old school building in Charleston, SC. Tell me what you think!

I would love to make money off of my photography but I am not sure if anyone would really buy it. I am thinking about paying for an account on www.deviantart.com Its $25 for the year so worse case scenario and no one buys then its not a whole lot of money lost. What do you guys think? I could use some advice. I have decided that I might try my hand at freelance blogging. There are a few companies that will pay you to blog about specific things. There are two sites I will be applying with. One is a NYC blog (do reviews about things here in the city) and the other to blog and review movies. Ill let you know how it turns out! :)

Hope you guys have a lovely weekend. I will back with the pics of the garden soon. :)

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Im finally out of the house. After being home three days in a row sick, I felt like a hermit when I left for work this morning with the bright sun in my eyes. It was the most beautiful weather this weekend and I missed most of it being sick. Yesterday, I got up in the morning, took a shower and got dressed and made the huge mistake of laying down on the couch. I couldn't get up again after that so I called in again which they were totally cool about. I love my job. They are so nice. I honestly wanted to go to work as I was so bored being at home but I was still not well enough. And then today to not be able to work out.....GRRRR!!!! I cant believe how much I have gotten to enjoy it! I was itching to get back to the gym but I am too weak. I am still so bad that when I was running up the stairs from the train (they are pretty bad, I am usually out of breath by the time I get to the top), I tripped on the very last one and went down on my knees. I know most people think New Yorkers are rude but I was genuinely surprised when no one asked if I was okay. I actually did a reflex "Im okay." cause being the clumsy person I am, I am used to falling all the time and having people ask me if I am okay. But no one this time. I was shocked. Stupid people! lol So yeah I am still weak. Blah. I want to work out tomorrow (especially that coolio bike) but I will have to see how I feel. I dont want to push it.

I bought the YUMMIEST coconut lip balm from Rickys during lunch. I was getting sick of the plain Chapstick and just walked in. Its Hawaiian and tastes and smells like coconut. I love it and it feels great on my lips. I was going to try the Rosebud Salve that everyone and their grandmother swears by but it was $6!!!! That is insane!!! lol So Alba Coconut Balm it is. :) Here is where you can buy it. Got rave reviews and I see why!!! http://www.drugstore.com/qxp143600_333181_sespider/

alba_hawaiian/lip_balm_coconut_cream.htm (copy and paste)

Anyways, that is it for now. I am getting excited cause I should be buying our Orlando tickets next week. Very short notice but I couldnt get them sooner. Just hope the price doesn't jump up. So far, so good.

Btw, Mich. I didnt see your email addy? Can you send it to me at melody.kristensen@take2games. com ? Thanks!

Love you all!

Sunday, April 22, 2007

First I want to answer the comments I got from Heidi and Ali (of course I remember you!!! :) :
Hi Ali, I am sure you will do great stepping up your activity. Its something I have always loved doing but could never get myself started with. Now I have this great opportunity and I would be super disappointed if I didn't take advantage of it. :) Let me know how you are doing with yours!!!
Heidi!!! So happy to see you. I really missed you. YES I definitely think a personal trainer helps. Mainly for two reasons. 1. He pushes you WAY harder than you would ever push yourself. I like that. I cant do it everyday or even every week but when I do work with him I feel it for days and that in some odd way encourages me. I know its working on my body because "No pain, no gain." 2. He shows me how to do the machines properly and gives me pointers about working out and eating that I wouldn't normally get so that when I am not working out with him but on my own I will get more out of my workout. Having a personal trainer is expensive but if you can afford it once a month I think it will make a massive difference in how you feel mentally and emotionally as it will help keep you motivated. He is fun and professional and I feel really comfortable with him. I know he doesn't judge me and that makes a world of difference. :) Let me know if you decide to go for it!
Ugh, you guys wont believe it but I did get sick over this weekend. It was absolutely GORGEOUS finally and I was super sick. I made the meeting yesterday as we had the Special Talk but I had such a hard time concentrating. Its a good thing I took notes otherwise I wouldn't have gotten anything out of it. A good side note: Although the scales said I was 2.5 lbs heavier my clothes showed me that is all muscle cause my skirt is lose again!!!! So excited! I tried it on two weeks ago and i could barely get it on. Now its very comfortable. So happy. That to me is the hardest part about working out. Not getting discouraged when it looks like you are gaining or getting bigger. That is the muscle mass growing. It will pay off in the end! Unfortunately cause I am sick I dont see myself working out tomorrow. :( I might even miss work. I know it more than just allergies cause my whole body hurts but its definitely allergies too. I slept till 12pm today and then fell asleep again at 4 and woke up at 7. Its crazy. I guess I need the sleep. I feel better for it but my head and ears and sinuses still hurt. Blah. I wish I wasnt sick but better this weekend then next cause next weekend I got a huge group to go to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens for the Japanese Cherry Blossom festival. I am so excited! Its going to be GLORIOUS. I just hope the weather is good. They are going to have Japanese musicians and everything. I ordered (finally!) a US charger for my camera and should be getting that any day now so will be able to share pics with you guys when I get them.
Anyways, I better run. I feel like poop warmed over. Love you all! Thanks for coming back. :)

Friday, April 20, 2007

Wow, I feel so "I am woman, here me ROAR!" right now. :) I just got back from the gym and I feel great. I love the way it makes me feel mentally. Its awesome. I tried this new exercise bike they have. Its like riding a video game. Its so much fun! You can choose between a bunch of different routes and you have to control the bicyle with the handlebars. I am loving it!! It makes me motivated as well cause I dont like when the people pass me. If you dont like that mode you can watch TV and it has music channels too. I am going to look into getting one of these for my house! Its so cool! I did 15 min on the elliptical machine (1.04 miles) and then 9 min uphill on the bike (1.06 miles). I feel good. I mean I am far from where I want to be physically but I can definitely feel that I have way more endurance now and that feel goods.

Weirdly enough I think I might be on the channel 9 news tonight. I walked right behind a guy they were interviewing on my way to the gym. Lovely. Get caught on TV walking to the gym in your grungy gym clothes. :)

I am so excited about this weekend. Dont really have plans but the weather has turned glorious and it will be nice to finally feel spring! We have our special talk tomorrow and my sister is coming down with the kids. Ronny and I will probably go rollerblading on Sunday up Battery Park. Its right on the water and so beautiful there. We used to go a lot when we were dating so should be nice to do it again. :)

Have a good weekend everyone!!! *HUGS*

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

I worked with my personal trainer today, Chris. All I have to say is....ouch! He helped me work mainly on my legs, back and abs. Didnt do much on my arms as I ran out of time. I love it though. I couldn't do it all the time cause I am usually sore for days afterward but its great. I get such good results. After the soreness goes away that is. :) I was so bad last time I couldn't even lower myself onto a toilet. I had to just drop. LOL Thats cause he pushes me harder than I would push myself. I like it though. He is really nice and reasonable and lets me take a break if I need it. Everytime I work out on my own I think yeah I got this, then I work out with Chris and Im like dag im out of shape! LOL So he is going on vacation this Friday and wont be back till the 30th. I will probably need that time to heal!!! My thighs are already killing me. hehe

We dont have much going on at the moment. We were going out loads the last few weeks so its nice to have a break. We have our special talk this weekend which I am really looking forward to. I think my sister is coming down as well from upstate.

Oh btw! I am going to see Gwen Stefani on May 20th. So excited!!! :) Going with Ronny and another friend. We will probably just be coming back home from Orlando. I want to take Ronny to Disney. He doesn't have any idea what its like! I cant wait. I think he is going to love it. I know I do. I have been there so many times but the last time was almost 10 years ago so I know it has changed a lot. I havent even been to the Animal Kingdom. I hear its beautiful.

You wanna hear something weird? There is this brother in my cong here that I have known since I was 14. He came to serve at Bethel and his aunt and uncle who are also Bethelites where already in our cong so he joined us. I had a crush on him immediately and it stayed for 6 years. Yes I know embarassing... well anyways we always stayed good friends and I went to his brothers wedding 2 years ago who also came to Bethel and to our cong. Well this brother got engaged a few months ago. I have met his fiance who is very nice. She is from Miami. Not what I expected him to go for but nonetheless really nice. They got accepted to Bethel which means they will be staying in our cong which we are all thrilled about. Ronny was so happy for them he wanted to have a bit of a treat so we took him and some friends out for dinner and everything. I was really excited and pretty sure I would be invited to the wedding. It would mean so much to me to go. Its going to be in Miami (on my birthday!!! May 12, weird I know!) and I was so willing to go. We planned on making a vacation out of it and going to Orlando and everything. Well my mom got her inviation in the mail about a month ago and looked at me apologetically cause Ronny and I didn't get one. I know this doesn't sound like a big deal but everyone I have told about this to that knows this brother and knows the situation was totally shocked. I was shocked! I cried when I realized we weren't invited. It still hurts. Especially since I was so thrilled when he came to my wedding and sat him with all my friends at the table in front of our wedding table. I know they are having a small wedding but it makes me feel like crap. Like he doesn't care about me as a friend. I feel insulted for my little 16 year old self still inside of me. I mean I dont like him like that anymore obviously but it still hurts. Does that make sense? It stinks that I will be reminded every year as its on my birthday but oh well. My mom doesn't get it either, she cant understand why we weren't invited. He is still really nice to us and all. I dont get it.

Anyways, wanted that off my chest. Gotta run. Talk to you guys later. Thanks for the welcomes. Missed you all!

Monday, April 16, 2007

A long absence

Well it happened again. I went away for a while without a thought to my blog but I am back. So yes Jackie I will be updating more regularly. :)

Its been so long I dont even know where to start. So much is different. First thing is I got a new job. I really love it. I am a Sales Admin for Take 2 Games. They do video and computer games so way cool! :) I process orders for stores that buy them. One of my biggest clients is Best Buy. Their orders come out to more money I would see in 10 lifetimes! But its a very cool place to work in. Extremely laidback and cool. I can wear jeans and I get into work at 10. Similar to the way my job was in London but even more laid back. And a HUGE plus is that they give their employees a free gym membership!!! :) So I have been seriously utilizing it. Sad to say I gained back some weight since moving back home but not everything. I have been working out at least 3x a week and I can feel things tightening. I am tired of trying to lose weight fast and everything. It was fun but not as healthy as I would have liked. I lost all muscle tone which is the main reason why the weight started piling back. But now I am building more muscle and if feels good. :) I enjoy working out although not all the time. But it makes me feel good.

Another big thing going on is I started school online for my degree in marketing. I joined the University of Phoenix and so far its been great. My grades are very good. Getting straights A's. :) It takes far more discipline but works perfectly for me.

We are still working on Ronny's immigration. Because I need a letter of employment verification from my job, I couldn't start the process till I had another job so we are almost at the point of submitting our paperwork. Ronny had to get bloodwork as well.

Anyways, that is it for now. I will try and be back here a lot more often. Oh yeah, I got a new laptop (love it!!!) for a REALLY good deal so it will be easier to get online. :) Love you all! Thanks for thinking about us.