how safe is your baby egg

How does an egg carton come in handy in a baby shower? I love my sisters but throwing a baby shower is not easy. My sister is having her little girl pretty soon. You would think that food is the important part but it's not, having the guests entertained is what makes or breaks a baby shower. I always get picked to do the games. I don't mind just some pressure involved. Wanted to do some new games. So I did my research. I like for the ladies to get involved as a group. Don't want them to fall asleep on me. The traditional game is measuring the belly. I just spiced it up by tying all the long strands of paper to her body. Like a mommy walking mummified. I introduced them to the one where you make a baby over your head with your eyes closed out of play-doh. the mommy to be picks out the best looking baby. One of my favorites that I had them do is pass a carton of eggs around the room and have them pick one then pass the markers around and have them draw on the egg. The point is to make them individually their babies. They were to keep their babies with them at all times, care for it. At the end who ever still had their babies without a crack, won a prize. They got smart on me by putting them in their cleavage. The trick was whether they were boiled or not.

It was a bring your boyfriend, husband, and partner to the shower kind of shin ding. The women inside while the men played outside. That way the ladies enjoyed their margaritas and the men their beer. Did I mention that it was a Spanish baby shower. I for a second thought it wasn't going to work but it actually did.  Yes there was a mechanical bull. I ended leaving early so I never found out if they had the curiosity to wonder if the egg was breakable or if they won. I think this was intentional by me. It was a two to eleven pm baby shower. 

If you ever throw a baby shower try to involve all the ladies at the same time. I've been on the other end and well there is a difference. I know you've heard of musical chairs, but how about passing the dirty diaper. The competition was tough and the ladies really played rough for their prizes. They all wanted to be winners. It brings out their inner child. In the end it was actually a fun night.

matrix-y

Earlier last month at S4 (it's a dance club in Dallas on Cedar Springs Rd) there was a competition that I wanted to attend. The competition was to get participants to dress up as Lady Gaga for a chance to win a pair of tickets to her concert here in Dallas. It was quite interesting to see the outfits that the participants were to create. My goal was to attend and decide for myself the winner. Not enough people participated so two guys from the audience got asked to join. No, their outfits didn't qualify and I thought that they shouldn't win but it was okay to participate. As the hour neared to the end the stage grew with less Gaga's. The best winner did indeed win. Happy for him. I feel like the best Gaga's will be a guy, maybe because they really go (all out) to make their costumes.

the participants

But it all really boils down to this.......I took my camera. Who takes their camera to the dance club? This girl right here.  I didn't want to go with my big camera bag or a purse. It's not ordinary to go dancing while having a purse. So I tucked it under my pull over shirt but over my tank top. When it was time to snap the photos I took it out but when it was time to leave I hid it again. They allow camera's but I didn't want anyone to bump into it so I wanted to keep it close to me. On the way out I spotted someone very characteristic and wanted to snap a photo. It was going to be a quick one so I kept it hidden. My Heather opened the door and within seconds I moved aside my pull over and reached across my body to grab my camera. The movement I had done was like a person reaching out for their gun. This is when I realized what I had done. Outside the doors there stood two police officers that had seen what they thought was a black object to be reached like a gun. They looked at each other with huge eyes. The look on their faces was priceless. Well it seemed at the moment that it was. There, o crap stuff is fixing to go down, face finally changed to a sigh of relief and laughed while they looked at each other.

the person in white was the winner

the photo that I just had to take

I still took my photo and began to realize that if the police officers weren't as smart safe as they were I could have had a gun drawn on me and well I would have been highly upset. My life has it's moments but my photography life has its risks.

not a clear cellphone pic but maybe you can see where my camera is

I'll be more aware and less matrix-y.

forever together

I don't know if you remember my Bonnie and Clyde. They were tiny turtles that I got from a festival last year in Terrell, TX. I  had to have two little turtles. One was going to be alone. Went out and bought them a big tank with two lights. One for heat and the other for sleeping purposes. I named them Bonnie and Clyde. Who doesn't love the famous couple? The two lovebirds. I had them for about two months. Yes loved those two little guys dearly. I know they were just small little creatures but you should have seen them get on their rock and jump off to swim. How about the times I'd come home from work and head to them to hold. They'd always hide from me but I would get them every once in a while to poke their head out, or a leg.

Bonnie and Clyde

Bonnie

 

One day Bonnie didn't look so good. She wasn't eating. We tried finding a veterinarian that specialized in reptiles to make an appointment to take her. We found a vet and made the appointment had to wait till Monday to take her since it was a Friday when we called. She didn't make it. Come Sunday she had passed. Felt so sad like if it was my fault for not knowing she was not feeling well. She now rests under a rock in our back yard.

I was more careful with Clyde. Made sure to check if he was having similar symptoms. He was happy until he also did not want to eat. So I didn't hesitate and made the first appointment possible. Told him to hang in there. Didn't really care how much it was going to cost just knew that I wanted him to be well. Loved the little guy. Come the day for his appointment and he didn't make it. He now resides next to Bonnie under the rock. Felt horrible for days. Crazy isn't it. I only had them for two months and already loved what people like making soup out of.

Was already going to train them to be on a leash to take them walking. Having them roam the floor in the house and have them bite the cats and have the dogs gently push them where they wanted to be.

Ever since then Heather has been trying to get me some more but I just can't replace them. Doesn't feel right especially if it happened again. I just never got to take them to the vet to see what exactly it was that caused them to go. We even bought special food to give them. Cut up lettuce as treats.

Ironic isn't it how the real Bonnie and Clyde could not be buried next to each other but my Bonnie and Clyde are together.

Heather tells me that it is always hard to buy me something for my birthday. It really is hard. I don't ask for much and usually the things I want I can afford and just buy it. But this year was different.
Came home today from my parents to find a box shipped all the way from Honolulu, HI. It arrived late but when I opened the box it was Bonnie and Clyde together forever.

Maybe they couldn't be apart after all. It was the most beautiful message on a rope I could have ever asked for.

steps in the way

I know I shouldn't complain but I do anyway, I'm only human. I honestly forget how old I really am until my body tells me. A week ago I fell. Yes this girl fell. Then I thought about how many times I've fell in my lifetime that I can remember. It seems that every time I fall, steps are involved.  The first one that I can remember at the moment was when I was working downtown. I was leaving the porch of our home in Dallas and I was around nineteen years old.  I missed a step and fell ripping my pantyhose down my knee. I don't remember what happened next just remembered being mad at the fact that I tore my pantyhose and I was now going to be late for work. These things were mandatory when showing leg. The second time I fell was here in my home going down the steps to take the trash to the curb. I remember sitting down in the dark for a while just crying because I was mad at myself for doing so. It really hurt, I thought I had broken my ankle. Then last week I accompanied my sister to the doctors office and on the way out, I kept looking straight and forgot there were steps. I twisted my ankle as I fell on my behind. It hurt but I was more concerned and glad that it wasn't my sister who was carrying a baby in her belly. Then again things like this only happen to me.

I took this photo just minuets before I fell

I had hurt my knee running and it hasn't totally healed, and now my ankle hurts. I feel like my body is telling me that I am getting really old, especially when I feel like I wobble when I walk. I am not mad that it hurts but upset at the fact that these are signs of not being young and not being able to just get back up and like nothing happened. Normally by this time I'd be pain free.

Towards the end of my shift today I ended helping a man that was special and he just didn't know it. He walked hunched over. Told me his story. Here was a man standing five foot one not because he was old but because he had back surgery. The surgery went wrong that he had to go back and have part of his ribs removed to help him walk and that is why he now walks like if  his waist is on his chest. Here stood a man that was once five foot nine. Yes, five foot nine now five foot one. He was still walking. Because of his waist he forgets what size to get in pants. Here was an old man by himself and all I could tell him was to not give up, he is not a quitter. He smiled and said "No, I am not".

He made me feel horrible about feeling all damaged and happy that he was still surviving his everyday tasks. After he left a lady heard our conversation and started to almost cry. She saw him walk away with his walker and couldn't look me in the face from bursting into tears so then I tried to hold mine back. We both started to fill our eyes with tears.

I'd had a rough day with people and the way I was mad at myself when the last thirty minutes of my workday God send me an elderly angel to tell me its okay.

artsy weekends

April showers bring May flowers. Have you heard of it before? April is the perfect month to be outdoors. Its not too cold or hot but in today's forecast it is really cold. Loving the rain we have been getting here in the area. Today is putting on warm pj's and sipping on some hot coffee. April is a great month for art festivals. I am a lover of the arts so being able to attend these festivals is a plus. The Deep Ellum Arts Festival was last weekend and this past weekend was the Main St. Ft. Worth Arts Festival. While it rained in Dallas it was windy for Ft Worth. It also got canceled Sunday due to the raining and winds. If you missed them that's okay there is always next year. If you have visited both art festivals you will see that they are different in some ways. For instance the Deep Ellum is more about the people and the place. Love the Deep Ellum Festival and I get to do what I call, people watch. See some interesting characters. The one in Ft. Worth is all about the art. People all over the United States come to show us their work. States like Oregon, Tennessee, Florida, Rhode Island, are a few but the list is endless, and of course locals. The vendors in Ft. Worth also get awards for their art. It gets jammed pack. Feels like you are in traffic but walking without music as riding bumper to bumper in the car.


Deep Ellum Arts Festival (Dallas)

The month is almost halfway over but there is still time to squeeze in the arts if you live in the DFW area. This coming Saturday is the Cedar Springs Art Festival, on yes, Cedar Springs. Hope to go down and check it out. Have you ever been on Cedar Springs in the day light?  It is totally different than at night. just hope they had enough vendors for the event. At the end of the month, the last weekend of April, there will also be a gallery walk. A Deep Ellum Art Walk. This also allows you to visit galleries you would normally not get acquainted with.

Main St. Arts Festival (Ft. Worth)

Before the month is over enjoy the outdoors because May is around the corner and it will get H.O.T.

I've heard "I'm bored is there anything to do?" many times from many people. There is always something to do just feed your brain and pump your inner soul with art.

wrist spitters

Woke up feeling yucky and as the day progressed I knew I had caught something. I don't know exactly what it is just know I don't like this feeling. Worked today being sick still means making my money. Okay sometimes I do call in to work but I didn't think I had to. Before lunch I already knew I didn't want to come back. Kept having to turn around due to the fact that my nose decided to start dripping. How freaking embarrassing.  Took a Dayquil this morning but I think it had wore off so I took another on my lunch since I knew I was running a fever. Took a small five minute nap on lunch before fighting myself to go back. I thought I was embarrassed this morning nope after lunch my fever broke. That is the term used I don't know why though. It's not like I fell down and my fever stayed on the ground shattered while I stood up. I started feeling hot. Really sweaty hot. To my surprise other people noticed. One person was telling me that they hadn't seen me in hot flashes before if I was okay. So I replied by saying I'm not that old to the point of hot flashes yet. While another person that I was dealing with that had never seen me before in my life asked if I was okay. That I was really sweating. I had to explain the whole breaking my fever story. Then I told myself enough is enough who can I give my sickness to. Yes I'm evil that way. It's a myth that if you are sick you can pass it on to someone else and that will allow you to get rid of it. So I found my target. Never made it to her. I instead just went to the restroom to wipe my face.

I put dish soap (Dawn) to give an illustration.

I'm about to tell you a myth that I learned today that you might have heard before but it is my first time hearing of it. While wiping my face and blowing my nose in the restroom a lady told me of something she was told to help in my condition. She was told that if you have a runny nose, sore throat, sinus headache, or feel congested all you have to do is spit on your left wrist first. Yes spit. Spit on your left wrist rub it in with your fingers then spit on your right wrist then rub it in with your fingers. It sounds gross but it's actually you spitting on yourself. Now I don't know how true this is but she claims that she told someone else about it and it helped. Unless you can prove to me how that can medically help you improve your well being then I'll give it a try. But until then I'm going to stick with Dayquil and NyQuil. I just plugged those in.

I figured if I have to hear stories like this one I shouldn't have to be the only one to know about it. I bring out the stories in some folks.

Hope to get better soon because April will be my busy month. Will be outdoors more than usual.

You know how sometimes, I know I'm not the only one that says this, how sometimes you wish things on your worst enemy? Well I don't ever wish them bad things just wish them to feel like I did today. I'm horrible aren't I?

why is a birthday so important?

I asked myself this question today. Then I asked my friends. Why is an adult birthday so important?

I don't recall having my birthday celebrated as a child. I believe I was two years old when my parents celebrated my last birthday. It's not that they couldn't do it big just that we were not really raised around other kids. My moms tradition when birthdays came around is a traditional dish, Mexican mole with arroz. That's when it was just the six of us. My parents and my sisters six times a year. Then when I hit twenty two that is when I had my first real birthday. When I met Heather is when I started knowing how it was to celebrate a birthday for myself. It felt really good. When our first niece came to be with us. We celebrated like never before. We wanted her to feel like it was to have a birthday. After that I made sure to celebrate everyone in my life's birthday but I got carried away and backed off. I don't celebrate them like I had in my twenties. It just gets depressing after a while. As the family gets older it doesn't become as important as it was in the younger years. Now the loved ones live far away or just don't care about specific people in the family enough to celebrate it.

Last year I didn't do anything for my birthday. I made it intentionally dull. Wanted it to be the way it had been before Heather but she spoiled me in the past and it turned out making me feel horrible. I told myself that it didn't matter, from that point on I was going to celebrate it the best way I could from this year and on after that.

I hate having a heart. Hate feeling like I need to do something.

Made a new friend here a while back and she turned thirty yesterday. She wanted to celebrate it big. I mean it's only once you hit that milestone in our life time. Her plans were to make it memorable. I asked her, so how did it turn out? She looked at me with the saddest look on her face and said, nothing. Didn't do anything. Just spent it at home. I felt her pain. Didn't realize how important a birthday can be. I just figured we get old and on to the next day, like regular.

How many of you have had a birthday and had all these plans and just none came about? How many children and adults go without even a birthday cake? Have you ever thought that blowing out some candles to make those birthday wishes come true, some haven't experienced it yet. Now a days you have to celebrate a birthday by making it better than the last if not it didn't even matter.

When you remember your past birthdays do you remember who all was there to help you celebrate?

Yes we feel like a birthday is important to you and me, but that is when my heart aches to think that someone didn't get to feel that happiness, that acknowledgement that they exist.