100th

Remember this post? I think I took #4 too seriously [get away from the computer] and I ended up not posting for almost a month! As Al Green would say “I know, I know, I know” [for about 26 times more], I have not been a good blogger. To my defense I was very busy at work and school and I just wanted to “veg out” whenever I could, and that meant hours and hours in front of the TV. So a recap of the coming and goings of this month:

-this is my 100^th post ya’ll!

celebrate good times

-We had our first wedding anniversary . The mr. and I celebrated it for 2 weekends, the first weekend we went out for drinks on Saturday [like you do when you’re dating] and on Sunday to a fancy dinner. The next weekend went to a remote cabin right next to El Yunque [that’s Puerto Rico’s Natural Reserve and largest rainforest] and stayed for 3 days in complete bliss. The room had no TV, the whole place was solar powered and the rooms had no outlets so you had to go downstairs and charge your phones. The guests all mingled and played board games while the owner cooked breakfast or dinner and we waited for our phones to charge. After the sun went down the moon was looking spectacular and huge, you could really see the stars and hear the peaceful sounds that come with the night. We had a great time.

First weekend

turned the mr.’s anniversay gift to me into a pretty center piece

and we munched on 1-year old cake. See the toppers? custom made for us mine even has the same wedding dress design

Second weekend

the road up the cabin

the view half-way

rustic room

view from our balcony

furry friends [I think Amber from The usual Bliss would like Max]

we got up at 4:30am to see the sunrise

early sunbathing

On Sunday we had to pick up Maggie from my mother-in-law’s house [she was baby-sitting] and we took this little lady to the beach!

she was happy

waiting on the mr. while he got mommy a sweet coconut

my favorite picture, she looks like she’s laughing

-I’m obsessed with “New Girl”! I recently got HULU and got hooked on so many series, but my favorite right now is “New Girl” [and korean soap operas but that's a whole 'nother story]. I just love the comedic timing of all the actors, the situations they get into and the romance that’s started between Nick and Jess. I’ve read people say it’s the “Friends” of this generation and I think maybe. My all time favorite sitcom is  “Friends” and what I loved most about the show was its ability to take any situation and put it in an episode. I can’t say how many times I’ve been somewhere when I say “this happened in an episode of Friends…” In that sense I think “New girl” and “Friends” are somewhat similar, but they are different shows from different times and to compare one to the other is not really fair. They are good scripted sitcoms that bring joy to whoever watches and I think that’s what’s most important in the end, to escape, laugh and have a good time with these lovable characters. What shows are you watching right now? What’s got you hooked? I’d love to hear some suggestions.

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Just Keep Moving, There's No Rape Culture to See Here, Folks

Reblogged from Views from the Couch:

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I remember the cop, visibly annoyed with being burdened with the task of taking my statement, leading me into the tiny room and I remember the panic bubbling up when he shut the door behind him. I think he typed 5.5 words a minute. I told him the whole story. It seemed like we were in there for hours. Maybe because he took that long to type or maybe because the designers of that tiny room, with the door closed, made no allowance for personal space.

Read more… 2,622 more words

This is a post from one of my favorite blogs. The type of rape culture we live in and what it means for society. Give it a read and pass it along, we need to get this message across.

Here comes the song [get it?]

I couldn’t figure out how to put this in the previous post so here it is, my favorite Beatles song written and sung by the ever interesting George Harrison. Enjoy!

the discovery of me

This weekend was very slow-pace for me. I decided to take some “me” time [the mr. was working this weekend] and just relaxed with Maggie at my side. It’s been a while since I just did nothing that I felt kind of bad for “vegging-out”. But I was pleasantly surprised by a few films and a documentary that I watched.

the girlie next to me

First, let me say that Julianne Moore did an excellent job at playing Sarah Palin in “Game change”, I was very impressed by how she nailed the character. The film itself was something I didn’t expect and I’m the type of person that likes to anticipate things in movies [the mr hates this hehe]. But it was a breath of fresh air being able to just be captivated by the happenings in the movie. I have to say that the movie presented the McCain-Palin Campaign in a very different light than the one the media portrayed in the 2008 election. I recommend you guys watch this movie, I think it was very tastefully done.

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I also finished Martin Scorsese’s documentary “Living in the Material world” about the life of George Harrison as told by family and friends. The documentary is two-parts long and it tells the life George from his time in the Beatles, his time in India and everything in between. I had no idea of the type of spiritual person that was George Harrison, I’m not a very huge fan of the Beatles [I like their songs but I’m no expert on them] but I’ve always felt that he was the most interesting of them all. This documentary proved me right. He was a quiet person, but was a positive one as well. He was charming and friendly, and most of all spiritual. This is something that hit a spot on me because I am in search of my spirituality. Beyond religion, what I’m looking for is to live in peace and harmony with me and those around me.

 

{both images via}

I guess that it’s normal that we are in constant search of some kind of sign that we have a purpose in life, and it’s in those moments that we learn the most about ourselves. I am in the process of discovering me and learning the balance of life. I admire those people that are very in tune with their spirits and just evoke a peaceful and happy feeling in those who surround them. I’m looking to be that, to surround myself with positive energy and balance. In the search of our character is when we learn the most beautiful things about ourselves and the people we love. We learn to take in the good and work on the not so good so in the end we better ourselves and achieve happiness. I’m very excited to learn new things about me and to share them with those willing to accept them.

So it’s good to look within every now and then, it helps us deal with the past and prepare for the future but most of all to enjoy the present.

 

 

www… days with my little lady

Midterms are finally over!!!! Which means time for me and the mr.! This weekend was all about relaxing and spending time together, Saturday we spent tydying up our place and on Sunday we went to the beach.

We had plenty of fun just the mr. and I, it was a “date” of sorts that we’ll be repeating pretty soon [Maggie doesn't like the sand so we didn't take her with us ]. But one of the highlights of my weekend was just playing around and spending time with this little lady.

Let me share with you my bundle of joy, Maggie [or Maggiekins as I like to call her]. When we first got her [two years ago] she looked like she would be very tiny. She hardly barked and was just lovely.

Flash forward a few months and she grew to about the size she’s now only her hair was kinda crazy

A trip to the groomer later and she was looking as good as ever.

She’s just like any other dog, she likes to run in the terrace but especially loves to sunbathe. She knows exactly when we’re going outside and she turns into this ball of energy because she loves it so. [I will post a video as soon as I know how to work it here :s]

But we all agree that her favorite place to be is on the couch with us as we watch T.V. [she loves that place between the cushions]

As many dog owners will tell you, she sleeps with us, snuggled right between the mr. and I so when I wake up in the morning I’m met with these round eyes that seem to say “hello” everyday.

She likes to watch everything we do, particularly me studying [I secretly think she reports to the mr. if I din't study at all]

She can be quite sassy…

…and quite mischievous [we come home to this pretty much everyday 'cause she hates to be left alone]

But how can you stay mad at this cuteness?

And after a long day of naps, bacon treats, running in the terrace, sunbathing in the living room, hanging out in the sofa playing with the mr. and barking at neighbors it truly was time to crash and simply relax. That’s Magggie for ‘ya!

when feeling blue…

 

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This picture right here inspired me today. I have been whining lately and nothing’s been done about it. I was feeling blue today because I feel stuck at work [see the post here] and learning that those around me are moving on professionally and I’m in the same place kinda makes me a little disappointed [in myself of course]. Then browsing through Pinterest I found the above picture of Maggie Smith and I felt like she was talking to me. I’ve been whining and wondering instead of doing and accomplishing. Today I got a little oomph from this picture and hopefully I will always remember those words so I’m motivated to accomplish instead of whine.

PS. I leave you with this cool pic I found

 

 

 

www…staying creative [and cheering up when feeling blue]

I have a piece of paper in my office that lists 29 ways to stay creative [don't ask how I got it 'cause I can barely remember anything these days]. I had forgotten I had it pinned [actually pinned not on Pinterest] on my inspiration board and yesterday I discovered it yet again, so I’ll be sharing it with you guys and hopefully you’ll try some of the things in the list. Who knows, maybe you’ll get a feature for your blog out of this. Here we go:

1. Make lists [I love me some list-making!]

2.Carry a notebook everywhere [you'll never know when you'll be inspired]

3. Sketch

4.Get away from the computer [we all need this sometime]

5.Quit beating yourself up [I need to do this]

6.Take breaks

7.Sing in the shower [trust me, the water makes you sound like a pro]

8. Be open

9.Drink coffee [you ain't got to tell me twice]

10.Get feedback

11. Listen to new music

12. Surround yourself with creative people [the blog community is great for this]

13. Practice, practice, practice

14. Don’t give up [even when the chips are down]

15. Allow yourself to make mistakes [we're not perfect after all]

16. Collaborate [exchanging ideas is very inspiring]

17. Take risks

18. Get lots of rest [not as easy sometimes but necessary]

19. Go somewhere new [the mr. and I decided yesterday that our next trip will be Grece!!]

20. Count your blessings [we're all very lucky]

21. Dance [I have a confession, I sneak into the bathroom to have dance-breaks]

22. Don’t force it [things just don't work out that way]

23. Break the rules [every now and then]

24. Read a book [or 13 in my case]

25. Stop trying to be someone else’s perfect [you are just fine the way you are]

26. Write down your ideas [please refer to no.2]

27. Clean your work space [or forever have allergies]

28. Finish something [starting a project is always exciting, finishing it is rewarding]

29. HAVE FUN!

 

 

**None of these images belong to me**

 

Www….back with a vengeance [Vegetarian endeavors…two months later]

So, hi ya’ll! This past week has been sweet & sour for me. Sweet because the mr got a promotion and a raise [yei!!!! Debt-free here we come], sour because there was a job opening within my company and I did not get it. If you read my previous post you’ll notice that I am feeling stuck lately and I am looking to grow professionally. So when this job opportunity came up I jumped at it, I sent my resume, I followed up, but ultimately I didn’t get it. I was not looking to earn more as much as I was looking to learn something new. .But I guess that’s the way it has to be, maybe there’s a waaaaay better job waiting for me down the line. We’ll see.

On other news, as of last week I’ve been a vegetarian for two months and let me say that it was not as hard as some people make it out to be. I guess for me the transition was easier because I didn’t eat red meat before [I just liked bacon and chicken] or maybe my conviction is stronger than I thought [although last night I dreamt that I ate bacon and felt crappy about it afterwards]. But, if I had to say what is the hardest part of being a vegetarian [beside the fact that the mr. is not and I still have to buy meat for him] is explaining to people the reason why I did it without being judged.

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If you ask anyone who is a vegetarian [vegans especially] they will tell you that the main reason for them is not hurting animals. Now don’t get me wrong, if you like your meat by all means enjoy, I will not try to convince you otherwise [and I get why you like it, it’s delicious], what I don’t like is people trying to convince vegetarians that their decision is “wrong”, that you have to eat meat and flat out laughing at you because your reason is to “save the animals” [they say in a patronizing tone]. I’m pretty sure I’m not the first or the last person to experience people passing judgment over you becoming a vegetarian, but it’s especially hard when even your family doesn’t respect and support you. I appreciate all those people who don’t agree with my decision but respect it and instead of making me eat meat they are genuinely interested and want to learn about vegetarianism. To all those people thank you for understanding and being mature about it, right on! I don’t appreciate those people who plain out laughed in my face when I told them of my choice and that ask me patronizingly “are you still a vegetarian?” as if it was just a fluke. To all those people, I hope you step on a lego, I like being a vegetarian.

{via google images}

Looking for funny pics to put on this post [‘cause I like it like that] I came across a blog that has a post titled “10 vegetarian myths and misconceptions debunked” and it really summed up how I feel. If you want to read it click here [if not that’s totally cool beans].  Again, I seem to have writer’s block to end this post so I’ll just hit you with a funny pic:

PS. I wanna start a book club, would you be interested? Do tell me please. Also, any books you recommend? I wanna read 13 this year

How do you deal with the feeling of being stuck?

I’m at a place in my professional life where I’m not satisfied with the work I do. It’s pretty standard stuff, very basic requirements and little responsibility. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful to have a job in a very prestigious company [globally] and in this down economy, but sometimes I just can’t help but feel hopeless. Things I like about my job: the co-workers, the time flexibility, my boss [he’s actually nice and understanding]. Things I don’t like about my job: the routine, doing the same work day in and day out with no gratification whatsoever. Every day I do the same, no more no less, just the same. I’m not even talking about getting a bigger salary [but it would be nice] I just want to be able to handle a little more responsibility. Right now I’m in charge of doing a whopping total of 3 tasks every day: approve, create and reimburse. That’s it.

note the lack of paperwork, very little to do
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There’s also another thing that keeps me down [if that’s fitting], as you may know I don’t work directly for the company I work through a placement agency. This limits very much any possibility of growing within the company [also the company is not interested in hiring direct employees any time soon] so now I’m stuck. What do you do when you don’t quite like your job but you can’t quit? What can you do to feel as if your work is part of a goal that is reached as a team and not a mundane activity where people could care less if you did it correctly? How do you deal with the feeling of being stuck?

Now you might say “Oh but miss sue you’re a law student, in a couple of years you’ll be doing important work as well [and getting paid more]” but I say to that “how do you know? How can I be sure?” There are 3 law schools in Puerto Rico with an average of 856 students every year that pass the bar. And jobs in the legal area are about 100 a year [and that’s reaching for the stars]. What hope do we law students have with those odds? What chance do I have with no connections whatsoever in the law field against my peers that have their jobs secured and lined up for when they graduate? These questions come to my mind from time to time and I don’t like them. I want to do something that matters, if even for a really small company. I want to have more responsibility and gratification when something gets done. I don’t want to be just doing the bare minimum [and that truly is what’s needed in my current job description]. I want to be doing my best, to feel motivated to give a 175% and to be acknowledged for my work. I want the chance to grow as a professional and not the cruel reality of being in the same position forever. I want to really work.

truly
{via google images}

I guess this thinking is all part of the finding-yourself-journey and I know that I’m still young with my whole life ahead of me, but at the same time the things that are happening in the world right now make you realize that you could be here one day and gone tomorrow. Isn’t that motivation enough to want to get things done already? To me it is. People might try to convince me that good things come to those who wait, but what of those who’ve waited for so long that they die and never get to do something gratifying? This thought creeps constantly in my mind.

I’m 26, and working at a minimum wage job that has no possibility of evolving into something more. I’m desperate to find my nitch in life, to have the feeling of belonging and thinking “I am the best at this” , to not feel frustrated anymore because I don’t have the chance to prove to everyone [and myself] that I can accomplish bigger goals. Right now there’s nothing I can do [believe me I’ve been to many interviews looking for a better job, no such luck] so this stuckedness [yep I just invented that word] will be my friend for the next 2 ½ years until I graduate. We’ll see then if things go better [I’m praying on it] or if will spend more quality time with dear-ol’ minimum wage.

I hope this is true
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PS. I’m not a pessimist, don’t misunderstand me. It’s just frustrating when a productive [no longer procrastinator] person is stuck in a rut.

 X-TRA PS: this is why I wanna be 40 already

Proxies for reality: Fact-based films and their mythmaking potential

Reblogged from Media Myth Alert:

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The Sunday "Outlook" section of the Washington Post usually is such a jumble of thumbsucker essays and middling book reviews that it deserves just passing attention.

What made yesterday's "Outlook" an exception was an engaging critique of Zero Dark Thirty, the controversial new movie about the CIA's years-long hunt for terror leader Osama bin-Laden.

The critique, written by former CIA official Jose A.

Read more… 831 more words

Here's a post about the controversy surrounding the movie "Zero Dark Thirty". It's been highly criticized on account of the film's torture scenes, so much that some actors in Hollywood [I'm talking to you Martin Sheen] are asking the Oscar voters to boycott the film. In my opinion that's not fair for the people who worked on this movie. I saw it and there are not that many scenes that portray torture, it's just enough to give you a sense of what they were willing to do to get the truth. I think the CIA actually tortured for information [even if they insist that they didn't], I mean if there are pictures of people in the military ill-treating captives what makes us believe that the CIA [the "killers"] would not do the same or worse? Are we that ignorant? The movie is good, maybe not Oscar-worthy but still entertaining and it doesn't deserve to be dissed as much as the media is trying to do. Just watch the movie and think for yourself.