Freakin Friday

Actually, today is one of those RARE times when I am not ready for it to be Friday. We are having a big moving sale this weekend, and what have I done to prepare? Practically NOTHING. The only thing I did was post a moving sale announcement on CraigsList, which I need to do again now that it is tomorrow.

By now, I should have unpacked our China Cabinet, dresser, night stands, etc. I should have bought garage sale signs from Home Depot. I should have bought stickers to label prices and figured out what to ask. I should have picked up the stuff from storage that I want to sell. I was also supposed to get my husband to sign the apartment lease agreement and the condo association's review application in order to mail it out today. Shoulda Woulda Coulda...

So, the fact that today is Friday is not a good sign. The worst part is that I don't even feel like doing it tonight, but deadlines loom & and I need to get steppin. Do you know what I really feel like doing??? -Redesign my blog. I love this time of year when holidays are looming (even though it still is 90 degrees here) and I want to be cheesily festive. Must fight the urge.

Tags: Freakin Friday, Moving Sale, Too Much To Do

Tagless Tees

For the most part, I like tagless t-shirts and other clothing items. They do have a downside though. When I get a chance in the morning (meaning the baby is still sleeping), I like to go through the morning rituals half asleep. I keep the lights off to take a shower and get dressed. We have Glade Plug-Ins with the little night light, so there is only a soft glow around. When I wore shirts with tags, I could easily feel the back side and slip on my clothing. Now, it isn't that easy and I have to move closer to the night light or turn on the blasted blinding room lights. OUCH!

Tags: tagless t-shirts, morning rituals, tired

Wife Kissing

Our morning ritual includes a hug, a kiss and saying, "Have a great day." This morning a few minutes after Steve left, he called to say, "Thank you." The DJs on his favorite radio station were discussing a poll. Apparently, men who kiss their wives before heading to work generally make more money than those that don't. That is true in our case; Steve's salary has jumped quite a bit since we met. Mostly, because he is more interested in his career, but we'll say it is simply because of the morning kisses.

Realistically, many people aren't career driven unless they have a reason to be. The responsibility of a family is probably the main reason men are afraid of commitment. I don't blame them. A happy family life only makes them want to do even better. That is my opinion anyway.

Other News: There is some confusion between the realtors. The letter was due in 15 days. One realtor thinks that is 15 calendar days and the other thinks 15 business days. Unfortunately, after thinking about it, 15 business days makes more sense to me. So, we probably will not be getting the letter until next Monday. However, the buyer's realtor/mortgage broker is extremely confident because he has excellent credit. We decided to tell the apartment lady we'll take it. Now, we have to continue to cross our fingers that everything works out.

Tags: wife kissing, salary, couples

More Time in Limbo Land

As you know, I am on pins & needles waiting to see if we get to become South Beach residents. The day is dragging on and on while we wait for the letter. I will probably end up calling my realtor to make sure that someone else is going crazy waiting with me. Cruel right?

My urgent condition was increased this morning with a news broadcast about the real estate market in South Florida. Apparently, the market in Miami-Dade County is down 37% since last year. I don't like those odds in case this falls through. I will keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best. I think the worst thing that could happen (besides not selling) is that they ask for an extension of time to provide the letter. That would mean that we would probably lose the apartment. It would really suck to lose it over a few days of waiting.

Waiting Game

I don't have much to say today because we're in a state of limbo. We found a GREAT apartment in the best part of South Beach. It is a 2/2 with a washer and dryer in the unit. The price is right and it is only a 3 block walk to the beach. My husband's commute will only take 5 - 10 minutes and I'll be traveling opposite of traffic. Sounds wonderful right? In a way, it is almost too good to be true.

Now, we are just waiting for concrete proof of financing from our buyer. He has until tomorrow to provide it. Isn't it horrible to be waiting for something to happen so you can get what you want? I feel like I am impatiently putting my life on hold to the point of being practically handcuffed. I don't know if I should start packing or making arrangements. Everything seems like a waste of time. If it all goes well, I will have to hit the ground running very soon.

Realistically, I will not be crushed if this all doesn't happen. I will be fine if the sell falls through. Just yesterday, we had a couple stop by that really wanted our house and were disappointed that there was already a contract in place. It was appraised for $5,000 more than our selling price, so we could probably get a little more. Plus, we can always find another apartment that we will like, even if it is not as great as this one. I guess mostly, I hate waiting to find out our fate.

Tags: waiting game, house for sale, fate

Casual Friday & Bumper Boldness

Lexi is getting into everything! One of her favorite places is our closet. I guess she was just trying to help me pick out what to wear. I am so glad today is Friday, because that means jeans (not to mention the all too exciting weekend).

I am about to reveal a strange quirk about me. I don't like bumper stickers. True, some are funny and I don't mind when other people have them on their cars. Lets face it, how else am I going to be entertained, while I'm waiting for a light to turn green? I will never put one on my car though. My reason is completely insane, especially since you know I have a blog. I feel like they give complete strangers a peek into your life. Fellow commuters don't need to know if I like fishing more than work, or if my kid can beat up your honor roll kid, or that I have a cute little family, or if I have a sense of humor, or if I hate tailgaters, or even what my political preferences may be. Now when you think about how open I am on my blog, you realize I am bizarre right? Why do I feel fine expressing some of the details of my life with anyone who checks my blog? I try to tell myself that bumper stickers de-value cars and that is why I don't like them. Really it has more to do with sharing info about myself. By the way, I also don't wear t-shirts that convey messages... Yep, way too personal.

Tags: casual friday, getting personal, bumper stickers

Different Ideals

Since our house is under contract, we are apartment hunting. Unfortunately, the place we really want to live (where I loved living when I was single) Edgewater Apartments has disconnected their phone. I think they may have gone condo. We will be driving over there this weekend to check it out.

For now, I have been doing on-line searches and a few drive bys preparing for our weekend of hunting. The problem is my husband and I have completely different ideas about what the perfect place will be. Right now, I am pulling for the old world charm of Coral Gables, specifically the area near Venetian Pool. The big trees, quiet neighborhood, and walking distance to Miracle Mile are just too enticing. I have a few friends (both single and married) in that area and they all love it. Just check out the pictures I posted and tell me it doesn't look enchanting.

My husband, on the other hand, would like to be closer to his work. He works near the American Airlines Arena. Given that he is a HUGE sports freak, he may have another agenda (Miami Heat). I will admit that the more modern apartments in high rises have a very metropolitan feel and quite a few attractive points, but they lack the old world charm and quiet neighborhoods. I want to go home to a place that feels extremely relaxing. Plus, we can walk to a little cafe for dinner.

This should be an interesting weekend of us each trying to persuade the other. I plan on keeping an open mind and I hope he will too. I am not quite ready to tell him that Coral Gables has strict rules against trucks in residential areas. We'll also be checking out Coconut Grove and the Beach.

Tags: apartment hunting, coral gables, miracle mile, venetian pool, American Airlines Arena, Miami Heat

My Turn/Safe to Return

To all my regular readers, it is safe to come back. It is all me again.

Before going back to the regularly tame (some would say lame) posts, I thought I would take a minute to comment on Miami Cross Blogination. I call it a success. I must acknowledge greenerMIAMI for the wonderful job she did organizing all of us wackadoos. There were so many interesting posts all over Miami blogs including mine. To be honest, I found most of them so funny that I could hardly contain the laughter. Then again, I find most things in the blog world & life quite hilarious. Really, life is too short to be taken seriously.

As for the two edgy bloggers that I interacted with, thank you for the experience. My post didn't inspire many comments on Al Capone's site, but I did make a huge effort to stick to his theme. I completely respect that he has a strong opinion and a very forward agenda. That is what I really like about his blog. For those who know a lot about me, I honestly do think that it is ridiculous to invoke No Smoking Laws on a restaurant called Tobacco Road. For those who don't know me, my mother-in-law passed away in June from terminal lung cancer. She smoked for about 45 years and her death was far from pleasant. Al Capone was already having nightmares about what I (a chic with a flowery blog) would post, so I decided not to post why I was probably the last guest blogger he would want. He would have run away kicking and screaming. Who would have blamed him? I guess I can admit now that I never even experimented with cigarettes as a teenager. Smoking just isn't something that has ever interested me, but his conviction is fascinating.

As for White Dade, he is GREAT at turning up the heat just to watch people get hot & bothered. Have you heard that saying, "Don't poke the bear?" Well, visit his blog and you'll see that it is his favorite sport. I find it so amusing. Secretly, I believe he is a very nice guy (but don't tell anyone because he would hate to have that information leaked).

Now about fake tatas, my opinion on plastic surgery has changed a LOT in the past 7+ years I have lived in Miami. I can't say it is all because of Miami (although it is VERY common here), society has changed and so have I. I still think nobody should ever alter your body merely to attract the opposite sex. Guys drool all over chics with or without them. However, if someone seriously feels the need to change something through plastic surgery and have honestly considered the risks and cost, then ok. I have personally seen some amazing work that has made me a believer! There are some TALENTED surgeons here. Although, I have only ventured as far as lasik. When it comes to fake boobs, if a girl ever plans to have kids she should wait. That will give her the chance to experience gigantic (GIGANTIC!!!) boobs and she just might not like it as much as she thought. Personally, I enjoy jogging so this particular surgery will never be on my must have list.

Tags: Blogination, regular readers, fake boobs, Al Capone, White Dade

BREAST IMPLANTS: NOT JUST FOR PORN STARS ANYMORE

Today, is the day for Miami Cross Blogination & I was lucky enough to get White Dade as my guest. **I just want to know how he figured out that this is a good topic for FFC b/c I wasn't naturally blessed in this area.** Without further ado, here is his post:

I need to preface this by saying that I love silicone. My mother, bless her heart, believes that breast augmentation is a practice on line with Chinese foot-binding and says that women filling their chests with bags of water is barbaric and cruel. And as a 60 year-old aging feminist that is her right. But as a 27-year-old male living in South Florida, it is my right to say that the recent trend towards artificial breasts is one of the great social advances of the 21^st century.

Friends of mine, most of whom have never gotten to experience the endless hours of fun that are augmented tits, often say to me "No, no, I don't think I could ever date a girl with implants. Girls who get them are obviously messed up. They must have self-esteem issues or are overly concerned with their appearance." Okay, first of all, what is better than a girl with self-esteem issues? Those are the ones who will do pretty much anything to get your attention and affection, up to and including, apparently, cutting themselves open and artificially inflating their chests. Second, look around you: It is hard to go one afternoon of grocery shopping in Dade County without seeing at least a few silicone racks. Are you trying to tell me they are all deeply, deeply in secure and nuts? No, of course they aren't. They just want to look good like everyone else in this crazy place we call South Florida. And it won't be long until eliminating surgically enhanced women from your dating pool makes your choices very, very slim. In more ways than one.

It used to be that the only women you saw with implants were porn stars and chicks in their forties who needed them to keep their rich husbands from running off with the 19-year-old babysitter. But no more. Go out to any high-end restaurant in Coral Gables or South Miami and see how many women over 30 there do NOT have implants. I say do NOT because on a recent night out at one of said establishments, I was hard pressed to find a woman in the place who was not carrying a couple bags of silicone in her D-Cup bra. And it was fantastic. It has become not only socially acceptable, but now socially expected for women with any money to restore their youthful chests once they hit a certain age. Perhaps it is the pervasive culture of superficiality in South Florida. Although during my two years in Orange County, not exactly a hotbed for intellectual thinking and deeper meaning, I don't remember seeing this much silicone. I will give credit to the one aspect of Latin Culture I can get behind: The expectation that men will mess around on their wives. So women feel they need to compete at any costs to keep this infidelity to a minimum and: Voila! I'm copping cheap feels just by walking around on a crowded day at Merrick Place.

But it's not just the cougars and Desperate Housewives going under the knife. A trip to Tavern in The Grove on any given Thursday will garner coed after coed after coed with surgically enhanced racks. Now, again, I am sorry to say I must have missed the ball on this one. When I was in school, I think I knew two girls who had got implants, and both were actresses. Now? I am hard pressed to walk around campus at UM without seeing a good amount of silicone. Yes, the skinny High School Band Geek A-Cups have decided that reinventing yourself in college not only means lying about having a boyfriend back home, but also includes a new pair of tits. And at a school where BMW's outnumber Saturns about 5 to 1 in the student parking lot, it is not surprising that girls at younger and younger ages are able to do this. Are they all insecure and undesirable? Not to me they're not. A nice set is a nice set, whether they were given to you by God or by the South Florida Center for Cosmetic Surgery. (Thank you, Super Claudia!)

And finally, I would just like to say that people need to stop calling breast implants "fakes." They are not fake. You can touch them, taste them, play with them and a whole slew of other enjoyable things with them. I know, because I have, and those things are DEFINITELY real. They are just not natural, and there is a marked difference. Not that I am a bastion of political correctness here, but I think the term "fake" would imply that when the girl gets home she just takes her tits off and puts them in a drawer next to her fake hair (extensions) fake nails (acrylics) and fake eyelashes. But hose tits, no sir, those stay on. Artificial or Implants seem like better terms.

So God bless the Breast Implant. Whether you are an aging beauty trying to stay young, or a young girl trying to get hotter, I am all for using any tool you can. And it seems like more and more women are. A day will come soon, and probably sooner than you think, when women who do not have augmentations will be considered the freaks and weirdoes, and not the other way around. But love them or hate them, you have to admit you are seeing a lot more silicone than you used to. And I'm loving every minute of it.

Tags: Silicone, artificial breasts, South Florida, Latin Culture, Desperate Housewives

Four Pack Blogination

We are hours away from the big Miami Cross Blogination and it has become apparent that 2 of the little 4 pack are nervous. What is this 4 pack you say? Well out of the 21 blogs, our group somehow became a little circle. I'm writing on Al Capone's site. He is writing on Tere's site. She is writing on White Dade's site. And yes, he is writing on mine.

When I first read the assignments, I laughed because two edgy bloggers got stuck with two mommy bloggers. I had a feeling they would be disappointed. All single guys want smokin hot chics, right? Hey, we are smokin hot chics. It is just that we are married and have cute little babies that have changed our perspective a bit.

Anyway, both White Dade and Al Capone have conveyed a bit of apprehension about what we'll post. I laughed this morning when I read Al Capone's post and just now when I read White Dade's. There is only one rule. We have to post something that we think would fit the blog. I can't wait to laugh tomorrow when I read what White Dade came up with. I am also interested to see if Al Capone thinks my post sucked. It isn't quite as edgy as his usual material, but well...I tried. This is exactly why I signed up...to see different perspectives about my blog. If nothing else, they can appreciate the million links in this post that just added to their Technorati popularity.

Tags: White Dade, Al Capone, Tere-Tere, Technorati Popularity, Miami Cross Blogination, 4 pack

Suckered In

"Can I ask you a question?" asked a curvaceous Columbian chic with a thick accent.

I reluctantly answered "sure," preferring to be polite.

"How often do you use lotion?"

Suddenly dreading where this was heading, I answered, "every day."

She smiled, "Let me show you what the Dead Sea salt can do for your skin."

As she was spreading it across my arm, I noticed that she was covered in head-to-toe fashion faux pas that seem to be so popular in this mall. I wondered if the fashion police would ever venture down to Miami. I also realized that it seemed to work for her in some strange way.

She rinsed my arm and of course it felt smooth and moist. A dab of olive oil and table salt would have the same affect, but I am a sucker for beauty products. She followed up with some lotion that had a wonderful aroma and proceeded to tell me all about their 100% natural facial cream.

I was still plotting ways to politely make my escape when she told me the price. She said I could have them each for the low price of $49 bringing the total to approximately $150. That is when I smiled, because no way would I pay that much for 3 beauty products from a kiosk in the mall. She jumped in to say that I would be getting a year supply of each, which had no impact on my decision. She proceeded to eliminate the products I was least interested in including the facial cream and lotion. When she mentioned the Dead Sea salt, Origins popped into my mind and she saw a glimmer of hope. Her new tactic was to drop the price. When she got down to $20, I said ok.

Tags: Dead Sea Salt, Mall Kiosks, Dolphin Mall, Miami, Fashion Police

Life is a Highway that Goes to Key West

I know there are times when we all think about escaping the rat race, especially me. There is no time to enjoy life when you are sitting in traffic and living at work. I feel like every second of my life is scheduled for something. It has not always been like that. When I have lived in small towns or overseas, I always seemed to have oodles of time even when I worked 40 hours a week. I don't know how that is possible, but it is.

While thinking about the hustle and bustle of Miami and ways to escape it, I thought about a trip to the Keys. Did you know that if you are down here going even further south, almost every major road leads to Key West? I-95, the Palmetto (826), and the Turnpike all end at US-1, which goes to the Keys. I would like to think that the Transportation Planners who did that had our psyche in mind. Hmm...maybe I should look into booking a little Bed & Breakfast for a weekend before tourist season begins in November.

Tags: Key West, rat race, travel, South Florida,

Miami Guest Bloggers

There are only five days until Miami Cross Blogination, which is when 21 blogs in Miami will do an ol switch-a-roo. I will be sending a post for Al Capone and White Dade will be posting on this blog. Since the main rule is that the post has to be related to the blog on which it will be featured, I have been reading up and thinking about several ideas. I feel lucky to get a themed blog, unlike mine which is all over the place. Actually, all over the place means random and whatever. The best part about this is that I will make sure to check out a bunch of blogs that I have not read yet.

Tags: Guest Blogger, Miami Cross Blogination, Blogination

What ... I take Performance Enhancers?

Over Labor Day weekend, I found out in this article that I take a performance enhancer (Sudafed) and I would venture to say that quite a few unsuspecting Americans do. We would all have problems if they were football players for the NFL because it is one of the banned substances. Sammy Morris, a Miami Dolphin, is currently suspended for taking Sudafed.

Unfortunately, bad sinuses run in my family (thanks dad for sharing that & not your unbelievably great metabolism). I try to ignore the issue most of the time, but when a killer one comes on (and I am not pregnant), I go for the enhancer. I should probably admit that I have even had a coke the same day I took a Sudafed. -Killer Combination- What I would like to know is when does the amazing abilities or at least a rush kick in?

Tags: Sudafed, Coke, Miami Dolphins, Sammy Morris, performance enhancer

Goodbye House, Goodbye Street, Goodbye Porpoise Spit

Three months ago (June 14th), I announced that we had our house up for sale. My short attention span and the slow market had caused me to lose faith, but I am here to tell you that YES we finally have a contract on our house. The realtor came by last night with the offer and it was our rock bottom price (of course). We are still happy with it though - thank you South Florida Home Inflation! WE LOVE YOU! I feel like we were on a episode of "Flip This House." Now, I have to start looking for a place to rent in the Gables, the Grove, or on the Beach.

Tags: Contract on House, Coral Gables, Miami Beach, Coconut Grove, Apartment

Sept 11 Reflections

Like most Americans, it is hard for me to believe that five years have passed. On the other hand, so much has happened that I also can't believe it has only been five years. Since time has a way of marching on, I'll take a moment to reflect.

Five years ago today, I was in a totally different place. All right, I was in Miami, but my life was very different. Six months earlier, I had broken up with my Arab boyfriend of 4 years. On top of all of the fighting we did, I realized that I just could not marry him, move back to Qatar, and mostly adapt to the cultural norms.

At that time, I was working ridiculous hours for a thankless company. I had been flying back and forth to the Bahamas (work) and was actually lucky not to get stuck in an airport. In fact, I had a plane ticket to NYC a week later to see one of my closest friends. My company had been asking me to cancel and they got their wish.

That day, I remember that I was extremely bogged down with work. The television was on in the main area of the office. Every little breather I took involved rushing out to get a quick update before returning to my computer. There was no chance to take in the magnitude of what had happened. I also remember that one of the young guys there came in and half way joked that this was my ex's revenge for breaking his heart. I just responded with a quick fake laugh. I realized that my ex was probably the only Arab the guy had ever met. To him, they were all the same.

That evening, I finally got a hold of my friend in NYC through on-line chatting, which we had never used before or since. I sat on the floor of my apartment with my laptop on the coffee table. We chatted about the events while watching the horrible images on the news. That is when the horror of it all really hit me.

Six months later, I finally went on that trip to NYC to see my friend. Actually, I went twice in a couple of weeks. The first trip, I saw Ground Zero. The second trip, I saw the St. Patrick's Day parade, which is full of policemen & firemen. Everytime a unit would come marching in full dress, the crowd erupted into cheers and tears. That is how I would like to remember that time...cheers and tears.

Tags: NYC, Sept 11, Ground Zero

Mauled in his Sleep

Several times a week for the past 4 months, my husband has rudely been awakened by being grabbed. Last night, his face was clawed. When he screamed ouch, I woke up. I am usually the kind of person that sleeps very still. In fact, when I was single, I would slip out of bed in the morning and it would practically be made. My husband, on the other hand, is the wild sleeper, which is part/most of the problem. Lately, as he is rolling over, I have a sudden panic attack in my sleep and dream about our baby falling off the bed. I reach over to grab her and he gets mauled. What a horrible thing right? Although he surely hates it, he actually admitted that he is pleased to know that I am even concerned about her in my sleep.

Tags: dreams, nightmares, mauling

Trying Technorati

Technorati Profile

I read a little about this on WizeUp's blog and Dayngr's blog. I don't know much about it, but I'm trying to figure out the hype by signing up. Silly way, right?

Tags: technorati tags

Funny Photo Friday and Day Dreaming Again

It's Friday and that means I get to post a funny photo. Lexi got her first cell phone last weekend. Actually, we bought her a set of keys and a cell phone, so I have something to give her when she begs for mine.

I am also in the mood for day dreaming again (surprise). This morning, my mind is on travel (another surprise). I talked to one of my brothers about planning another international trip with them all. Actually, I have missed out on most of their great trips, so I should instigate the next one. I think I'll make a list of places I'd like to go. The list could go on for ever, so I'll stick to ones I might be able to talk my family into going to.

1. Spain and Morocco - I'd like to fly into Madrid tour Spain a bit. Then, head across Strait of Gibraltar and spend at least a week in Morocco. This one might be expensive for me because I love shopping for Moroccan things.
2. Peru and especially Machu Picchu - I've been curious for a while.
3. Costa Rica - culture, rather inexpensive, snorkeling, diving, surfing, and eco-tourism.
4. Brazil - I have a brother that lived in Sao Paolo for 2 years and speaks the language fluently. I am sure he would love to go back and we would have a tour guide.
5. Mount Kilimanjaro - I would love to go and they have been talking about it for years.
   

I will limit my list to 5. If I put too many, we'll never pick a place. I should e-mail it to them today...

**Even though several of the links go to places that provide guided tours, we always wing it.

Tags: travel, daydreaming, Spain, Morocco, Peru, Costa Rica, Brazil, Mount Kilimanjaro, family trip

Dreams Gone Awry

Doesn't every kid have grandiose dreams of what their life will be like? We are always told that we can be anything we want to be, so we think big. When we grow up, we will be famous movie stars, sports heroes, political giants, noble peace prize winners, amazing scientists, leaders of the UN who crush world hunger, or astronauts. Even Disney movies portray a hero battling dragons or evil witches. It all sounds so exciting.

Then, the reality check hits. Most of us grow up to be just as boring as our parents seemed. We shop at the grocery story, work in an office, struggle with bills and the only real battle we have is traffic. My life has a lot of joy in it, but I still want to know what happened to the amazing dreams.

Tags: grow up, dreams

Book Tag!

Tere tagged me for a meme on Books. I must admit, that I am not an avid reader. After all the reading I do at work, pleasure reading rarely happens. I guess that just makes me pickier. Here are the books, I found enticing enough to read:

1) A book that changed my life: For Those I Loved by Martin Gray. I was probably about 14 when I read this book. It was the first biography I ever read and it was incredible. His attitude and experiences with the Holocaust as well as personal life tragedies are truly inspiring.

2) A book that I've read more than once: I can't think of any books I have read more than once, but I am considering the Princess Sultana Trilogy by Jean Sasson. The books are about a real princess in Saudi Arabia. Her stories are funny, sad, realistic, and heartfelt.

3) A book I'd take to a deserted island: SAS Survival Handbook: How to Survive in the Wild, in Any Climate, on Land or at Sea by John Lofty Wisemen. Hey, it has been way too LONG since I went camping.

4) A book that made me laugh: Dead? By Lawrence J. Law. My dad wrote this book and it is full of his bizarre sense of humor. I guess I could have picked this one for #2. Now that he passed away, it is a nice way to remember him.

5) A book that made me cry: Do They Hear You When You Cry by Fauziya Kassindja and Layli Miller Bashir. This book does a wonderful job of conveying the need for cultural understanding and acceptance, major immigration reforms in the US, and for people to take action against injustices.

6) A book I wish had been written: Most of the Biographies I read are about people whose lives are way too intense for me to wish that upon myself. So, I'll go with practically any book by my two favorite fiction authors, Patrica Cromwell (only Scarpetta Series) and Amy Tan.

7) A book that should never have been written: I am sure there are a lot out there that I would pick, but the only one that comes to mind is Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi. I am not saying that it is a bad book, but I only got through the first chapter and was completely freaked out. I couldn't even look at the book after that. I had to throw it away.

8) A book I'm currently reading: a handful of books by Sandra Boynton. They are quite catchy and Lexi loves them.

9) A book I'm planning to read: I looked up a few books on Amazon & these look interesting to me: Daughters of Tunis: Women, Family, and Networks In A Muslim City by Paula Holmes-Eber and The Places in Between by Rory Stewart

10) Who I'm tagging next: Paige (since she belongs to a book club) and Anna (because she loves being tagged as much as I do). If this strikes anyone else as interesting, I'll be happy to tag you too.

Tags: books, biographies, library

Mandatory Ear Piercing

Before having Lexi, I did not realize that it was mandatory in South Florida to get your baby girl's ears pierced. Apparently, that is the only way people can tell that the baby is a girl. My mom did not allow me to get my ears pierced until I was 7 years old. I have always planned to have my daughters wait until they ask for it, but not allow them to do it before kindergarten.

I know most people down here get their baby girls' ears pierced when they are two months old. I don't see anything wrong with it, but I would rather not. The whole thing has never seemed like a big deal to me until I had Lexi.

You would not believe how many people ask me if she is a boy or girl and 99% of the time she is wearing lots of pink. They have all said that they could not tell because her ears aren't pierced. I happen to think that this logic is funny, but Steve gets slightly offended.

This weekend, I decided to dress her in a little outfit that was definitely for "boys." We were going to visit her granddad and uncle, so I figured they would get a kick out of the little University of Miami fan (besides there was a game).

We went out to a few places while we were in PSL and got lots of comments about our boy, including one about her being a future ball player. I just laughed and told everyone that she is a tomboy for the day. I also teased Steve that we could call her "Alex." He wasn't too happy about that. I guess I need to get a bow for that outfit. As far as the ear piercing though, I will wait until kindergarten or later. Head to toe pink should be a good enough indication.

**If you are thinking she might need therapy once I get done with her, you're probably right. My mom used to dress my sister, Paige, in a navy blue sweat suit when she was a baby and she is a real wacko. (hahaha)**

Tags: ears pierced, gender, girls

Plug for the Sis-In-Law

As all of us know, it is not easy trying to make ends meet and be a SAHM. My sister-in-law has decided to supplement their income by becoming a personal shopper for Shade Clothing. She chose them because their clothes are more modest (Mormon owners). Along with that, the shirts are 3" longer than average shirts. She is 6' tall, so that is important. Anyway, they are having a sale today & tomorrow (half year sale). If you put in her personal code, LAW23300, you get an additional % off. Go to the site or don't go to it, it is up to you. Hey, who knows??? Maybe some of you would like to become personal shoppers.

Tags: Shade Clothing, SAHM, sale

Miami Cross Blogination

While reading Tere's blog and later greenerMIAMI, I found out that Miami Bloggers were organizing something called Miami Cross Blogination. It sounds interesting, so I signed up. Here is the announcement:

Calling all Miami bloggers! In the past month we've been working on creating more of a "blogging community" here in Miami. Today, I'd like to announce the first ever Miami Cross Blogination!

On September 19, several Miami bloggers will do a bit of a switcharoo. Each blog will feature a post written by another blogger in the group. The post will be related to the blog on which it will be featured. It's basically going to be a fun, silly day in which we can use our blogs to create a bit of confusion, mischief, or maybe just great new content by a guest blogger!

Blogs on board so far (please click at your own risk, some blogs go beyond the PG-13 rating that we have here on gM): Critical Miami, greenerMIAMI, Miami Vegan, Stuck on the Palmetto, Sex and the Beach, A Mom, A Blog, and a Life in Between, Transit Miami, "Klotz" as in "Blood", Fanless, 26th Parallel, Urban Paradise, Hidden City, Freckle Face Girl (new!), Miami Beach 411 (new!).

If you are a Miami based blogger and are interested, please go to greenerMIAMI or email her and she'll get you on the list. Deadline to sign-up is Sunday, September 10, 2006.

I think this will be an interesting experience. Not only what I have to come up with on someone's site, but to see what poor person has to figure out the theme of mine.

Tags: Miami Cross Blogination

Fun Photo Friday & Top Ten for Dreaming

Yesterday, I realized that I hadn't posted any photos for 2 weeks. I am going to try to add one at least once a week (Fridays). Can't promise though.

I also decided it would be nice to do a meme today. Since it is Friday and I am in the mood to do a little day dreaming, I'll make this a meme for Labor Day weekend.

Every night when my head hits the pillow, I think of a top ten list to day dream about. This is my method for going to sleep quickly. One of my favorite is the Top Ten List of What I Would Do if I won $_____ (usually $ 1 mil, sometimes as low as $20k or up to $1 billion). You would be surprised, but I'm usually out by #5.

Top Ten Things I Do If I won $1 million (besides help family):

1. Pay off all our bills
2. Quit my job to be a working SAHM ($1 mil doesn't go that far)
3. Move to Katy, Texas
4. Buy an SUV (with gas consumption & size in mind)
5. Start my own consulting company with GREAT computer equipment
6. Seriously think about having another baby right away
7. Plan an amazing vacation oversees
8. Get a maid
   
9. Buy an elliptical machine and treadmill
10. Put money away for plastic surgery after having kids (tummy tuck & a little more) - I would want to look completely awesome

Of course, it could go on for ever. Since it is nice to dream about positive things, I'll tag Paige, Emily, Misha, Anna, Issy and anyone else interested. Let me know & I'll be more than happy to add you to the list.

Tags: $1 mil, daydreaming