A big craving for sushi

I have the biggest craving for sushi from Rotary Sushi right now.

My mouth salivates as I picture the mussels, the tuna and avocado roll, the shrimp tempura roll, all dripping with lanya gachong sauce, and their ever-so-good water to wash it all down.

Oh, if I had a load of money right now, I'd fly Michi-san out to Germany to roll for me. Michi-san, I miss you and the sushi you make.

Sleeping with the snake

Why is it that no matter how tired I am at bedtime, I can't fall asleep? Seems like only a game of Snake under the covers can knock me out nowadays.

[Yawn.]

Shoulder aches

Source: Canadian Press
This guy is lifting about 152 lbs. I think I can beat him because it feels like I'm holding a million pounds above my head. My shoulders are killing me. Quick, someone tickle me!

Project READ: Whale done! : the power of positive relationships by Ken Blanchard

Wondering why your staff is unmotivated? Feel like things could be better at home? Well, that's because you've been focusing on the GOTchas (negative behavior) instead of the Whale Done!s (positive behavior). Blanchard tells the story of a businessman who learns the secret of motivating people to perform at their best by whale trainers at SeaWorld. It made me want to go out and buy the plush whales to give out to others when they do well, but it's $6 each!

The Raquel-o-meter: 3 bookmarks (Good enough to take on a trip.)

Project READ

I've decided to do book reviews on this blog at least once a week. It'll be my contribution to the advocacy of libraries and the importance of reading.

I'm going to vary the subjects as much as possible, but be forewarned--I'm a romance novel reader, so don't be a hater. (Be a lover.) And FYI, I've been reading a lot of books on management and leadership, so expect that too.

If you have a suggestion, please let me know! I'll read it too! If I don't have it in my library, there's such a thing as interlibrary loan! (Ask your local librarian about it; it's a wonderful service!) And hey, audiobooks count towards this project too, okay?

I'll rate each book by The Raquel-o-meter:
1 bookmark = I deserve to be shot for wasting my time on this.
3 bookmarks = Good enough to bring on a trip.
5 bookmarks = I am so going to order a hardback of this to add to The Library of Raquel Collection!

Go Team Read!

Hey, remember this guy?

Looks like he made it after all.

Trash day

This note is my attempt to ask the German dudes who pick up the trash for more yellow bags. Yellow bags are used to put household plastics and metals in for recycling. I used my Conversational German phrase book to help me. Hopefully it brightened their day to witness an American's effort to communicate with them.

Good morning!
Give yellow bags to me please.
I don't speak German very well.
Thank you! :)
Goodbye.

I made sure I didn't use the phrase, I wash myself, which was an actual phrase in my book. Now that I think about it, that probably would've made them laugh. Or not.

The blue bin is for paper.

Clean-up mode into Sunday

I was SO productive at home yesterday. Filed a year's(!) worth of documents. Read 1.5 books. Watched Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore and Catch 22 while doing my nails. Cleaned out the refrigerator. Took out all the trash. Finished my laundry. Picked up all of my shoes on my bedroom floor and stowed them away appropriately. Ran the dishwasher twice for two loads of dirty dishes. I would've mowed the lawn too, but that's forbidden on Sundays in Germany.

Whew! Do you need help with anything? Go ahead, give me a project.

Memory lane - Amsterdam, Summer 2005

During my cleaning-up mode, I found myself organizing my digital pictures too. I came across these shots which were taken during a trip to Amsterdam with my two sisters last summer. Don't worry, Gin and Car, I didn't put the "incriminating" stuff. Puff.


I call it: Uneven


I call it: House on the Water


I call it: There was a Carla Who Lived in a Shoe


I call it: Half-Full


I call it: Amster-damn!

Nada

I've got nada going on this weekend. I came to work at 9 this morning, and I am still here (6:45 pm). I've gotten into the mood of cleaning my desk and sorting or trashing office files. I can feel the difference already. (I've realized that I need to monitor what I print; my trash can is full of documents I didn't really need to print in the first place.) Sorry, Trees.

Not sure what I'm doing on Sunday. I'll see if this clean-up mode continues.

Hope you have a nice weekend.

Banjo and staring on Guam

I'm testing out a database that the Library might purchase, and of course, one of the first things I always search is Guam. Please read the bullets below.



Huh?! I wasn't aware of the info in the last two bullets. Were you? Am I the only one surprised?

I think it's inaccurate. Screw this database.

Blog, blog, blog

I find that I fall asleep thinking about this blog.

Should I have taken a picture of that? Hmmm ... maybe that would be an interesting topic to write about. Nah, might be boring. I should be reading my library magazines instead of thinking about this blog. I wonder if Gin'd mind if I posted a picture of her--better get her permission first. Does Chelle read my blog? Who reads my blog? Is this blog a waste of time? Why doesn't Candy make comments? Does she read my blog? Mom likes my blog. She always says I'm getting better with taking pictures. Carla's my devoted blog-reader. Gin too. And Josie. I love Latitude13; she's so talented. How about Dad? Does he even know about my blog? Maybe if I perused other blogs and made comments on them, more people would view mine. I like getting messages. Especially funny ones. I look like I'm constipated in my picture. Oh, blog.

Zzzzzzzz.

La pu ta

Laputa.

If you're Chamorro, you know what this means. I remember saying it a lot in middle school because I thought it rolled off the tongue easily and conveyed a very clear expression. I had not used it since then, and today, I was reminded of it by Uncle.

I guess it is the equivalent of saying sh*t! In Spanish, I think it means: a whore or the whore. Anyway.

Today I've been on the road driving long-lost relatives around. They remind me of my parents, and just like Dad, Uncle doesn't hold back if someone ticks him off, especially if he is in the confines of a moving vehicle, unable to confront the offender. Thus, you hear him say, "Laputa! That f*ckin' guy better watch what he's doing!" Etc.

So welcome back to my life, Laputa. "Because Laputa, it's been a long, long time."

Pink'd

The thing about living away from family is, out of the blue, they send me care packages and such pretty gifts. Like this. ----------->

Thank you, Auntie Candy! I love, love, love it! You know me so well; it's just my style! And color!

[I'm hugging it close to my chest right now.]

Flower power

Even though I'm busy like crazy at work, just looking at these flowers calms me. Reminds me that work is not everything and to enjoy the pretty things in life.

I'm so silly.

Lazy lately

It is with great pain and embarrassment to admit that I haven't been to the gym in a month. And my body and mind can feel it. I can come up with excuses, but I won't waste your time or my time.

I'm so pissed because I had been doing so well; it was almost automatic that I'd come home from work, change into gym clothes, drive off to the gym, and then work out. I had grown fond of muscle-aches and the added laundry of workout clothes. Now I must retrain myself. I don't look forward to the feeling of almost passing out when I start again on the crosstrainer, but it is something I must do.

F*ck!

Okay, regroup. At least I'm going back. Goodbye, lazy vibe. Hello, crosstrainer.

Golden egg time

Happy Easter.

I hope you find the golden egg.

Phooey and moving on

When things don't work out the way you want them to, it's okay to say, "Oh, phooey!" Just like this duck is gesturing.


See? He can breathe again and is already getting some action!


Life's too short. Move on.

I LOVE little people.

Khayleb Cole and baby sister.

A Peeping Tom can be a good thing.

Pray that I get this job.

I need everybody to cross their fingers for me or pray to Jesus Christ, Allah, Saint Jude, or whoever.

My boss's job is up for grabs, and although the probability of me getting it is good, there's this funding issue that's just not in my favor, and with the federal government, you ... just ... never ... know.

I applied for it today, and I would normally welcome competition, but I'm going to be selfish and discouraging on this one. So if you know anyone who is applying to this overseas job--with relocation expenses paid, mind you--STALL THEM until the 19th! (Job announcement closes on the 18th.)

Dear Lord, forgive me for I have sinned.

Pink is for girls.

For the new baby girl in The Santos Family. Welcome to the world! Count me as one of your protectors. Congratulations Roney, Rox, and Khayleb!

Love, Auntie Boo

Yellow

In your face

How do you handle someone who is five inches from your face when he/she talks to you?

Do you immediately run in the opposite direction when you see him/her to avoid what, you think, will become an awkward situation? Do you cock your neck at a certain angle away from this person and silently pray that the conversation is a short one? Do you bend your knees pretending to have dropped something on the floor while keeping the dialogue going? Do you just grin and bear it? Or do you say, "For Christ's sakes, back off! I can hear you, and I don't want to hold my breath fearing that you didn't brush properly this morning!"?

Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Elaine's boyfriend was a "close talker" too. I think she ditched him, didn't she?

People like this give new meaning to the phrase: In your face!

Holla! from Holland

This was taken atop a windmill at Keukenhof. Something tells me the canoe is staged because it didn't float up or down; trust me, I watched it for a while. Hmmmm...


Giant trees for the little folk.


Trapped.

Flowered out in Keukenhof, Holland

Colors, colors, everywhere! See for yourself.



Although the day started with a downpour of rain, the sun finally made its appearance and stayed.



People from everywhere came to Keukenhof this weekend. I heard French, German, Dutch, Japanese, Tagalog, and English with a British accent! I was tempted to yell "Hafa adai!" (hello in Chamorro) to see if anyone would respond, but I didn't want people to think I was kaduku (crazy in Chamorro).



One of the key points Keukenhof makes is that it is a perfect place for people who love to take pictures. How right they were! Everywhere I looked, all I saw was tourist-neck-camera. I blended in well.



I loved Keukenhof, and I would go back again anyday.



The only picture of me at Keukenhof. Beware; I took so many pictures that this blog will probably focus on flowers for the next few days. :)

Big and freakin' bigger

So which one do you think I packed my lunch in?

Figure-of-speech guy

Do you work with someone who uses figure of speech in his speech and writing? I do, and I think he is really clever and "down to Earth." Here are excerpts that he has written in an email or said aloud at the office. Thank goodness for people like him--makes the job more entertaining.

"I almost blew my own horn."
"It's all good, I try to smooth the rough edges on the schedule..."
"... should be someone who has their ear to the ground all the time ..."
"You know what I told him? The check's in the mail."
"Hey thanks for going to bat on this weekend."
"... yet they drag their feet on this one ..."
"I'd make them look right down the barrel if it were me."
"You know what I call her? A Whack Job."
"I think we made some money today."
"That's why I tried to get the ball rolling yesterday."
"... we would more than likely force their hand ..."
"I dunno, maybe I'm just making mountains out of mole hills, but ..."
"Here's the plan ... best laid of mice and men of course."
"You know how we are, lower than snail poopy but still expected to keep things open like 7-11."
"... and they fly by the seat of their pants."
"You wanna take a crack at him before I do?"

One thing's for sure--he's the real McCoy--the kind of guy to have on your side. That's it for now--lock, stock, and barrel.

Picture Lisse

This Saturday I'm taking a 3.5-hour bus trip to Keukenhof in Lisse, Netherlands. It's a place especially for those who are interested in photography. It supposedly offers 32 hectares of beautiful gardens including tulips and other bulb flowers--like I know what bulb flowers are. (I just got that info from the web site.)

Honestly, I'm not one for gardens, but I think of it as seeing a new place, getting out for the weekend, and an opportunity to take nice shots with my camera. Plus it'll be good exercise for me to explore this huge area. Thirty-two hectares is about 79 acres! Perhaps I will bring my tripod and pretend that I am a famous photographer. Or I will tell people as they stroll past me that I am an Italian fotografo, or a French photographe, or a Swiss fotografera, or a German fotografin.

Four eyes

My passport expires in June, so I am working on renewing it. I figured I'd play with the photo that the photo guy did incorrectly. This is how I would look with two sets of lips, two noses, and four eyes. To renew your passport, go here.

Uneventful weekend

Saturday, worked.
Sunday, finished reading Life of Pi and spent time with this.